And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
Parallel translations
- WEB If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
- KJV And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
- NKJV And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
- NASB And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.
- NLT And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.
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 identifies John as the 'Elijah' Malachi promised would come. John fulfills that role for those willing to receive it.
Overview
Malachi 4:5-6 foretold Elijah's coming before the Lord's day; Jesus declares John fulfills this in spirit and power (cf. Luke 1:17), not as Elijah literally returned. The qualifier 'if you are willing to receive it' signals that recognizing John's role requires faith. To accept John is to be prepared to welcome the Christ he heralds.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mal 4:5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
- Mark 9:11–13And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
- Matt 17:10–13The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
- Luke 1:17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
- John 1:21–23“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
- 1 Cor 3:2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,
- Ezek 2:5And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.
- John 16:12I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
- Ezek 3:10–11“Son of man,” He added, “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, and take them to heart.
- Rev 20:4Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 11:14 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
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