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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
- BSB Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
- 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!
- NASB Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than for that city.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus warns that judgment will fall harder on towns that reject the gospel than on Sodom and Gomorrah. Greater light brings greater accountability.
Overview
Sodom and Gomorrah were bywords for wickedness and divine judgment (Gen. 19). Yet Jesus says rejecting His messengers, with their clearer revelation, is even more culpable. The principle that responsibility increases with light pervades His teaching and points to the surpassing privilege, and peril, of hearing the gospel of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 2 Pet 2:6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
- John 15:22–24If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
- 1 Jn 4:17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
- Matt 11:22–24But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
- Luke 10:11–12Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
- Ezek 16:48–56As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
- 2 Pet 3:7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
- Mark 6:11And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
- 2 Pet 2:9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
- Matt 12:36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
- Matt 5:18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
- Matt 24:34–35Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.