Matthew 11:29

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 · direct translation from the Greek

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He invites the weary and burdened to come to him and find restWho Jesus Is Jesus says of himself that he is gentle and humble in heartHumility and Service Jesus invites the weary and burdened to find rest with himWork and Rest Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to him for restComfort

With the Greek beneath

Takeἄρατεmyμουyokeτὸν ζυγόνuponἐφ’youὑμᾶςandκαὶlearnμάθετεfromἀπ’me,ἐμοῦforὅτιI amεἰμιgentleπραΰςandκαὶhumbleταπεινὸςin heart,τῇ καρδίᾳandκαὶyou will findεὑρήσετεrestἀνάπαυσινfor yourταῖς ὑμῶνsouls.ψυχαῖς

Allusion · Jeremiah 6:16

Go to Jeremiah 6:16

Both texts say “you will find rest for your souls”; in Jeremiah 6:16, in the ancient paths.

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

εὑρήσετεheurēseteG2147מִצְאוּmitsuH4672“find, come upon”
ἀνάπαυσινanapausinG372מַרְגּוֹעַmargoaH4771“rest”
ψυχαῖςpsychaisG5590נַפְשְׁnafshH5315“soul, life”

Matthew 11:29, word by word

Takeἄρατεarate

carry

To bear something on oneself: "take up his cross".

Where else “arate” appears

yokeζυγόνzygon

yoke

What is imposed and must be borne.

Where else “zygon” appears

learnμάθετεmathete

learn

To come to know or understand something by teaching or by experience.

Where else “mathete” appears

I amεἰμιeimi

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “eimi” appears

gentleπραΰςprays

gentle, meek

Gentle, meek: mild and humble, not imposing oneself by force.

Where else “prays” appears

humbleταπεινὸςtapeinos

humble, lowly

Humble, lowly, of low position.

Where else “tapeinos” appears

in heartκαρδίᾳkardiai

heart

Heart: the center of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.

Where else “kardiai” appears

you will findεὑρήσετεheurēsete

find

To come upon something or someone, after searching or by surprise.

Where else “heurēsete” appears

restἀνάπαυσινanapausin

rest

Rest, relief, refreshment.

Where else “anapausin” appears

soulsψυχαῖςpsychais

soul

A person's innermost self: what they feel and desire.

Where else “psychais” appears

Translation note

“You will find rest for your souls” takes up Jeremiah 6:16.

Parallel passages

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

Jesus praises the Father

Luke 10:21-22

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

See them side by side

Matthew 11:25-30

²⁵At that time Jesus responded and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these things from the wise and the intelligent and revealed them to little children. ²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing before you. ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Luke 10:21-22

²¹In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing before you. ²²All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and the one to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

The context

28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 · This verse (above)

30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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