Matthew 11:12

From the time that John the Baptizer preached until now, other people have violently attacked the people who have allowed God [MTY/EUP] to rule their lives, and they have suffered (OR, people have very eagerly been asking God to take control of their lives, OR, Israelite people who have thought that I would become their king have been extremely eager to be included in my kingdom) (OR, have been violently attacked and made to suffer).

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

In Context

11Note this: Of all the people who have ever lived, God does not consider that any of them are greater than John the Baptizer. However, God considers that all those people who have let God rule their lives are greater than John, even if they are insignificant people.

13All this that I am saying about John is confirmed by the fact that all the men who wrote the Scriptures [MTY, SYN] foretold about God ruling people’s lives, until John the Baptizer came.

Read all of Matthew 11

Cross References

Luke 7:29When they heard what Jesus said (OR, what John preached), all the people, including tax collectors, whom many people despised, agreed that God’s way was right. By being baptized by John {By letting John baptize them}, they had agreed that what God required people to do in order to be saved was right.

Luke 16:16The laws that God gave Moses and what the prophets [MTY] wrote were ◄ in effect/what you needed to obey► until John the Baptizer came. Since then I have been preaching about how God wants to rule people’s lives in a new way, and many people are accepting that message and very eagerly asking God to control their lives. But that does not mean that God has abolished the laws that he established previously.

John 6:27Stop desiring food that will soon spoil! Instead, desire to get spiritual food that will last forever! Yearn for eternal life! That is what I, the one who came from heaven, will give you. God my Father has shown that he approves of me enabling me to do that.”

Philippians 2:12My dear friends, as you consider this, since you have always obeyed God, each of you should very reverentially [DOU] try to do those things that are proper for people whom God has saved. You should do those things not only when I am with you. Instead, you should try even more to do them now when I am not with you.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 11:8-16

Christ's Testimony of John. 7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 11:12