Matthew 4:25

“And large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond the Jordan.”
Matthew 4:25 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

AndκαὶlargeπολλοὶcrowdsὄχλοιfollowedἠκολούθησανhimαὐτῷfromἀπὸGalileeτῆς Γαλιλαίαςandκαὶthe DecapolisΔεκαπόλεωςandκαὶJerusalemἹεροσολύμωνandκαὶJudeaἸουδαίαςandκαὶbeyondπέρανthe Jordan.τοῦ Ἰορδάνου

Matthew 4:25, word by word

largeπολλοὶpolloi

great

Of great size or strength, like a crowd or a lament.

Where else “polloi” appears

crowdsὄχλοιochloi

crowd

A lot of people together.

Where else “ochloi” appears

followedἠκολούθησανēkolouthēsan

To walk behind someone, going with them wherever they go.

Where else “ēkolouthēsan” appears

GalileeΓαλιλαίαςGalilaias

Galilee

See it on the map Where else “Galilaias” appears

the DecapolisΔεκαπόλεωςDekapoleōs

Decapolis

See it on the map Where else “Dekapoleōs” appears

JerusalemἹεροσολύμωνHierosolymōn

Jerusalem

See it on the map Where else “Hierosolymōn” appears

JudeaἸουδαίαςIoudaias

Judea

See it on the map Where else “Ioudaias” appears

beyondπέρανperan

across, beyond

On the other side, across.

Where else “peran” appears

the JordanἸορδάνουIordanou

Jordan

See it on the map Where else “Iordanou” appears

Translation note

Decapolis, “ten cities”: a region of Greek cities, almost all east of the Jordan.

Parallel passages

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

Jesus goes to a solitary place

Mark 1:35-39 Luke 4:42-44

An account told more fully or more briefly in one of the books.

See them side by side

Matthew 4:23-25

²³And he went around in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. ²⁴And the report about him went out into all Syria; and they brought to him all those who were ill, afflicted with various diseases and torments, the demon-possessed and the moonstruck and paralytics, and he healed them. ²⁵And large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond the Jordan.

Mark 1:35-39

³⁵And very early, while it was still night, he got up and went out and went away to a deserted place, and there he was praying. ³⁶And Simon and those with him searched for him, ³⁷and they found him and say to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸And he says to them, “Let us go elsewhere, into the nearby towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is why I came out.” ³⁹And he went proclaiming in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and driving out the demons.

Luke 4:42-44

⁴²And when day came, he went out and went to a deserted place; and the crowds were searching for him, and they came to him and were holding him back so that he would not go away from them. ⁴³But he said to them, “I must bring the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because for this purpose I was sent.” ⁴⁴And he was proclaiming in the synagogues of Judea.

Places in this verse

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

1Galilee
Today: northern Israel, around the Sea of Galilee
The northern region of Israel, around the Sea of Galilee.
Most of Jesus' ministry took place there; he taught, healed and called his disciples (Matt 4:23; Mark 1:14).
Isaiah 9:1 Matthew 4:23 Mark 1:14 Luke 4:14
2Decapolis ?
Today: disputed region: northern Jordan and southern Syria
A region of ten cities, mostly east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.
The man Jesus freed from demons told all over the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him (Mark 5:20). Crowds from there followed Jesus (Matt 4:25).
Mark 5:20 Mark 7:31 Matthew 4:25
3Jerusalem
Today: Old City of Jerusalem
A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.
David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).
2 Samuel 5:6 1 Kings 8:1 Luke 2:22 Acts 1:8
4Judea
Today: southern Israel and West Bank, Judean hills
The southern region of Israel, including Jerusalem; in Jesus' time it was a Roman province.
Jesus was born there, and John the Immerser preached there (Matt 2:1; 3:1). Jesus told his disciples to be witnesses in Judea (Acts 1:8).
Matthew 2:1 Matthew 3:1 Acts 1:8 Luke 1:5
5Jordan
Today: Jordan River: Israel, West Bank, Jordan, Dead Sea
Israel's main river; it flows from Mount Hermon in the north, through the Sea of Galilee, to the Dead Sea.
Israel crossed it on dry ground to enter the promised land (Josh 3:17). Naaman was healed in it (2 Kgs 5:14), and Jesus was immersed in it (Matt 3:13).
Joshua 3:17 2 Kings 5:14 Matthew 3:13 Mark 1:9

The context

24And the report about him went out into all Syria; and they brought to him all those who were ill, afflicted with various diseases and torments, the demon-possessed and the moonstruck and paralytics, and he healed them.

25 · This verse (above)

Read all of Matthew 4

To study Matthew 4 in a group

1. What it says
How did Jesus answer each time the tester spoke to him (vv. 4, 7, 10)?
2. What it means
Why does Matthew tell of the testing right before Jesus begins to proclaim the kingdom (vv. 1, 17)?
3. How I live it
Jesus called fishermen to follow him (v. 19). What everyday work could you do with more attention to God?

How to use it