Matthew 10 15

Matthew 10:15 kjv

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Matthew 10:15 nkjv

Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

Matthew 10:15 niv

Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Matthew 10:15 esv

Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Matthew 10:15 nlt

I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

Matthew 10 verses

Matthew 10 15 Meaning

This verse declares that the divine judgment awaiting any city that rejects the disciples' proclamation of the Kingdom of God will be far more severe than the judgment endured by Sodom and Gomorrah. It underscores the profound responsibility and greater guilt incurred by those who, having received the opportunity to hear the gospel directly from Christ's commissioned messengers, choose to reject it.

Matthew 10 15 Context

Matthew chapter 10 recounts Jesus' commissioning of His twelve disciples, empowering them to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. This verse specifically falls within a set of instructions concerning their mission and how to respond to rejection. Jesus had just told them that if a house or city would not receive them or hear their words, they should "shake off the dust from your feet" (Matt 10:14) as a testimony against it. The historical and cultural context underscores the immense privilege and therefore, the immense responsibility, of hearing God's definitive revelation in the person and message of Jesus. Sodom and Gomorrah, universally recognized as emblems of ultimate depravity and cataclysmic divine judgment in Jewish tradition, serve as the baseline for comparison. Jesus' declaration posits that rejection of His Kingdom message, even by morally upright cities, is a more egregious offense in God's eyes than the historical sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, due to the magnitude of the truth presented and despised.

Matthew 10 15 Word analysis

• Verily (Greek: Amēn / ἀμὴν): A transliteration of the Hebrew amen, meaning "truly," "certainly," or "so be it." Jesus often uses this emphatic word, usually doubled ("Verily, verily") in John's Gospel, to introduce a statement of profound truth or divine authority. It stresses the certainty and solemnity of what He is about to say, demanding serious consideration.
• I say unto you: This phrase highlights Jesus' unparalleled personal authority as the speaker. He is not quoting a prophet or rabbinic tradition but delivering divine truth directly, a mark of His unique relationship with the Father.
• It shall be more tolerable (Greek: anektoteron / ἀνεκτότερον): This is a comparative adjective, meaning "more bearable" or "less difficult to endure." It implies degrees of judgment, suggesting that while all who stand before God for rejection will face reckoning, the severity will vary according to the light they have received. The word signals a frightening escalation in divine disapproval.
• for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah: Refers to the infamous cities from Genesis 18-19, utterly destroyed by God due to their overwhelming sinfulness. They serve as the benchmark for God's severe wrath against sin. The "land" signifies the entire region, encompassing the people who inhabited it. Their judgment, while cataclysmic, is presented as "more tolerable" compared to the cities Jesus refers to.
• in the day of judgment (Greek: en hēmera kriseōs / ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως): This phrase points to a future, specific time of divine reckoning for all humanity, where God's ultimate justice will be meted out. This concept was well-established in Jewish eschatological thought. It's a day of ultimate accountability, distinct from temporal or historical judgments.
• than for that city: Refers to any city (implied from the preceding verse 14) that hears and deliberately rejects the message of the Kingdom preached by Jesus' disciples. This stark comparison signifies a new level of accountability: those who had never heard the gospel message, like the people of Sodom, will face a lesser judgment than those who hear it directly from the Lord's own representatives and spurn it. The rejection of the Kingdom's message, which brings divine revelation and redemption, is viewed as an even graver offense than the moral corruption of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Matthew 10 15 Bonus section

This verse implies several important theological concepts:

• Degrees of Judgment: The phrase "more tolerable" strongly suggests that there will be different levels or degrees of punishment in the day of judgment, depending on the knowledge and opportunities people had in life. Not all judgment is equal, even if all unbelievers are condemned.
• The Weight of Opportunity: Hearing the good news of the Kingdom from Christ's commissioned representatives is considered a monumental privilege. To reject such a direct manifestation of God's redemptive grace carries a significantly higher penalty than to commit sins (even egregious ones like Sodom's) in ignorance of that specific, clear revelation.
• Inexcusable Unbelief: Jesus is establishing that the coming of His Kingdom through His messengers removes any excuse for unbelief. Unlike the generations prior to Jesus, those who heard the Gospel preached directly could no longer claim ignorance of God's ultimate will or the path to salvation.
• God's Sovereignty in Judgment: The verse reiterates God's absolute authority and meticulous justice in determining the fate of all humanity on a specified "Day of Judgment." It reinforces the idea that nothing escapes His final reckoning, and all will be judged according to their deeds and the light they possessed.

Matthew 10 15 Commentary

Jesus' statement in Matthew 10:15 is a profound declaration concerning the gravity of rejecting divine truth and the proportional nature of God's judgment. By comparing the fate of cities rejecting His disciples to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jesus establishes a terrifying scale of accountability. The unrepentant inhabitants of Sodom faced extreme destruction due to their moral depravity and rebellion against creation's order, yet Jesus declares that their eventual judgment will be less severe than for those who reject the clear, salvific message of the Kingdom preached by His authorized messengers. This highlights that greater light brings greater responsibility, and thus, greater culpability when rejected. It underscores the unique authority of Christ and the unparalleled value of the gospel. When humanity is exposed to the good news, accompanied by miraculous power (as in Matt 10), and deliberately chooses to turn away, their sin becomes more inexcusable, because they reject God's ultimate act of redemption. This principle affirms both God's righteous judgment and the seriousness of responding to His divine overtures.