World English Bible · Under Rome
Matthew 11
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When had finished directing his twelve , he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. Now when heard in the prison the works of , he sent two of his and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" 4 answered them, "Go and tell the things which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the are cleansed, the deaf hear, are up, and have preached to them. is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me." As these went their way, began to say to the concerning , "What did you go out into to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But why did you go out? To see a ? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a . For this is he, of whom , 'Behold, I send before your , who will prepare your way before you.' Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than ; yet he who is least in of is greater than he. From the days of until now, of suffers , and the take it by force. For all and prophesied until . If you are willing to receive it, this is , who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't .' For came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a .' came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of and !' But is by her children." Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't . "Woe to you, ! Woe to you, ! For if the mighty works had been done in and which were done in you, they would have long ago in . But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for and on the day of than for you. You, , who are exalted to , you will go down to . For if the mighty works had been done in which were done in you, it would have remained until today. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of on the day of , than for you." At that time, answered, "I thank you, , of and earth, that you hid these things from and understanding, and them to infants. Yes, , for so it was well-pleasing in your sight. All things have been to me by . No one knows the Son, except ; neither does anyone know , except the Son and he to whom the Son to him. "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will . Take upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in ; and you will find rest for your . For is easy, and my burden is ."
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.