Matthew 11:23

“And you, Capernaum, you will not be exalted to heaven, will you? To Hades you will go down; for if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”
Matthew 11:23 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

Andκαὶyou,σύCapernaum,Καφαρναούμyou will notμὴbe exaltedὑψωθήσῃtoἕωςheaven,οὐρανοῦwill you?μὴToἕωςHadesᾅδουyou will go down;καταβήσῃforὅτιifεἰthe miraclesαἱ δυνάμειςthatαἱwere doneγενόμεναιinἐνyouσοίhad been doneἐγενήθησανinἐνSodom,Σοδόμοιςit would haveἂνremainedἔμεινενuntilμέχριthis day.τῆς σήμερον

Allusion · Isaiah 14:13-15

Go to Isaiah 14:13-15

Both texts speak of going up to heaven and being brought down to the place of the dead: in Isaiah, the king of Babylon (“you will be brought down to Sheol”); in Matthew, Capernaum (“to Hades”).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

οὐρανοῦouranouG3772שָּׁמַיִםshamayimH8064“heaven”
καταβήσῃkatabēsēiG2597תּוּרָדturadH3381“go down, descend”
ᾅδουhaidouG86שְׁאוֹלsheolH7585“Hades (place of the dead)”

Matthew 11:23, word by word

CapernaumΚαφαρναούμKapharnaoum

Capernaum

See it on the map Where else “Kapharnaoum” appears

be exaltedὑψωθήσῃhypsōthēsēi

exalt

To give honor and a high place to someone.

Where else “hypsōthēsēi” appears

heavenοὐρανοῦouranou

heaven

God's dwelling, above all that is created.

Where else “ouranou” appears

Hadesᾅδουhaidou

Hades

Hades: the place of the dead; in Hebrew, Sheol.

Where else “haidou” appears

you will go downκαταβήσῃkatabēsēi

go down, come down

Go down, come down, descend.

Where else “katabēsēi” appears

the miraclesδυνάμειςdynameis

mighty work

A deed of God that shows his might.

Where else “dynameis” appears

were doneγενόμεναιgenomenai

be made

To come into being, to be made.

Where else “genomenai” appears

SodomΣοδόμοιςSodomois

Sodom

See it on the map Where else “Sodomois” appears

remainedἔμεινενemeinen

stay

Not to move from a place, to go on staying there.

Where else “emeinen” appears

untilμέχριmechri

until, as far as

Until; as far as.

Where else “mechri” appears

this dayσήμερονsēmeron

today

Today.

Where else “sēmeron” appears

Translation note

Hades is the place of the dead. The phrase recalls Isaiah 14:13-15.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Woes on the cities of the lake

Luke 10:12-15

A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.

See them side by side

Matthew 11:20-24

²⁰Then he began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not changed their minds. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their minds long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, you will not be exalted to heaven, will you? To Hades you will go down; for if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Luke 10:12-15

¹²I tell you that it will be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that city. ¹³Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will you really be exalted as far as heaven? You will be brought down as far as Hades!

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

1Capernaum
Today: Capernaum (Tell Hum) ruins, Israel
A town on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus left Nazareth and settled in Capernaum (Matt 4:13). He taught in its synagogue and healed many there (John 6:59; Luke 7:1).
Matthew 4:13 Mark 2:1 John 6:59 Luke 7:1
2Sodom ?
Today: disputed; perhaps south or northeast of the Dead Sea
A city of the Jordan plain; its site is not known for certain, perhaps near the Dead Sea.
Its people were very wicked (Gen 13:13). God destroyed it with fire, and saved Lot (Gen 19:24-25).
Genesis 19:24 Genesis 13:13 Genesis 18:20 Matthew 10:15

The context

22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23 · This verse (above)

24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Read all of Matthew 11

To study Matthew 11 in a group

1. What it says
What did Jesus tell John's messengers to report about what they hear and see (vv. 4–5)?
2. What it means
Why does Jesus say his yoke is easy and his burden light (vv. 28–30)?
3. How I live it
Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to him (v. 28). What burden could you bring to him today?

How to use it