Matthew 11:20 KJV
Then began he to upbraid the cities
wherein most of his mighty works were done,
because they repented not
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Other translations
New International Version
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
New Living Translation
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God.
English Standard Version
Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
Berean Study Bible
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
Berean Literal Bible
Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had taken place, because they did not repent.
New King James Version
Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:
New American Standard Bible
Then He began to reprimand the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.
NASB 1995
Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.
NASB 1977
Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.
Amplified Bible
Then He began to denounce [the people in] the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent [and change their hearts and lives].
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Then began he to upbraid
He now begins to reprove them, not because they did not applaud and commend Him, but because they did not repent.
This was Christ’s end in all his preaching, and in all his miraculous operations, to bring men to repentance, and to receive Him as the Messias; and this should be the great end pursued by all His ministers.
The rebuke is inserted by Luke in our Lord’s charge to the Seventy (Luke 10:13-15).
As in the case of the passages common to both Evangelists in Matthew 10 and Luke 10, we need not assume that the former has compiled a discourse from fragments collected separately.
It is far more natural and probable to believe that our Lord in this case, as in others, used at different times the same, or nearly the same, forms of speech.
Then He upbraided the cities which He had often blessed with His presence, and in which He had preached many awakening sermons, and performed many astonishing miracles.
It is observable, He had never upbraided them before.
Indeed, at first they had received Him with all gladness, Capernaum in particular.
To upbraid
That is, to reprove, to rebuke, to denounce heavy judgment.
Wherein most of his mighty works were done
The most for number, and the greatest in their kind; as particularly at Capernaum;
▪︎ where he cured the centurion’s servant,
▪︎ recovered Peter’s wife’s mother from a fever,
▪︎ healed the man sick of a palsy,
▪︎ raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead,
▪︎ made whole the woman that had a bloody issue,
▪︎ opened the eyes of two blind men,
▪︎ and cast out a devil from a dumb man, possessed with one.
All these, and more, He did in this one city, and therefore He might justly upbraid them, because they did not repent.
Because they repented not
Not because they did not commend him, and speak well of his works, for he sought not His own glory, but their good.
All he did was, in order to bring men to repentance of their sins, and faith in Himself, that they might be saved.
Greek
Then ☆ Τότε (Tote) ☆ Adverb ☆ Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.
[Jesus] began ☆ ἤρξατο (ērxato) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Middle – 3rd Person Singular ☆ To begin. Middle voice of archo; to commence.
to denounce ☆ ὀνειδίζειν (oneidizein) ☆ Verb – Present Infinitive Active ☆ To reproach, revile, upbraid. From oneidos; to defame, i.e. Rail at, chide, taunt.
the ☆ τὰς (tas) ☆ Article – Accusative Feminine Plural ☆ The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
cities ☆ πόλεις (poleis) ☆ Noun – Accusative Feminine Plural ☆ A city, the inhabitants of a city. Probably from the same as polemos, or perhaps from polus; a town.
in ☆ ἐν (en) ☆ Preposition ☆ In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; ‘in, ‘ at, on, by, etc.
which ☆ αἷς (hais) ☆ Personal / Relative Pronoun – Dative Feminine Plural ☆ Who, which, what, that.
most ☆ πλεῖσται (pleistai) ☆ Adjective – Nominative Feminine Plural – Superlative ☆ The greatest, the most, very great. Irregular superlative of polus; the largest number or very large.
of His ☆ αὐτοῦ (autou) ☆ Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular ☆ He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
miracles ☆ δυνάμεις (dynameis) ☆ Noun – Nominative Feminine Plural ☆ From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power.
had taken place ☆ ἐγένοντο (egenonto) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Middle – 3rd Person Plural ☆ A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.
because ☆ ὅτι (hoti) ☆ Conjunction ☆ Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.
they did not repent ☆ μετενόησαν (metenoēsan) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Active – 3rd Person Plural ☆ From meta and noieo; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. Reconsider.
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