Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Parallel translations
- WEB Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
- KJV Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
- BSB Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- NKJV Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- NASB Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
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 calls people to take His yoke and learn from Him, the gentle and humble Teacher. In submitting to Him they find rest for their souls.
Overview
The 'yoke' pictures discipleship under Christ's teaching, contrasted with the heavy yoke of legalistic religion. Because He is 'gentle and humble in heart', words echoing the meek Servant of Zechariah 9:9, His rule brings rest, not crushing burden. True soul-rest is found in glad submission to the lowly, loving Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 33
- Jer 6:16Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
- 1 Jn 2:6he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.
- Phil 2:7–8but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
- John 13:15For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
- Luke 6:46–48“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?
- Matt 7:24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.
- John 15:10–14If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.
- 1 Pet 2:21–23For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,
- Heb 5:9Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
- Phil 2:5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
- Matt 28:20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
- 2 Cor 10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
- Zech 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Num 12:3Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the surface of the earth.
- Isa 42:1–4“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Luke 10:39–42She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
- Heb 4:3–11For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
- Matt 21:5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
- Matt 11:27–28All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
- 2 Cor 10:5throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;
- 1 Th 4:2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
- Matt 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
- John 13:17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
- 2 Th 1:8giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,
- 1 Cor 9:21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.
- Acts 7:37This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’
- Acts 3:22–23For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.
- Luke 8:35People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
- John 14:21–24One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
- Eph 4:20–21But you did not learn Christ that way;
- Ps 131:1A Song of Ascents. By David. Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.
- Matt 12:19–20He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
- Luke 9:51–56It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem,
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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 11:29 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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