Matthew 11:24 (KJV)

What does Matthew 11:24 mean?

In Matthew 11:24, Jesus tells Capernaum that its judgment will be more severe than Sodom’s. Sodom was remembered for its great wickedness and destruction, so the comparison is a striking warning to a town that had witnessed Jesus’ powerful works.

The words “for thee” address Capernaum as a town. After saying that Sodom would have remained if it had seen those works, Jesus speaks of a future “day of judgment,” when God will judge.

The Greek behind Matthew 11:24

• “tolerable” — ἀνεκτότερον (anektoteron): The word carries the sense of “more bearable.” Its comparative form points to a difference in severity between Sodom and Capernaum.
• “judgment” — κρίσις (krisis): The word can mean a decision or judgment. Here, it refers to the time when God will judge, rather than to the destruction of Sodom in the past.

Why Matthew 11:24 matters

• Jesus’ comparison is tied to what Capernaum had seen. In verse 23, he says that “mighty works” were done there, but the town had not turned from its wrongdoing.
• The mention of Sodom gives the comparison its force. In Genesis 19, Sodom was destroyed; Jesus says that even its land will fare better than Capernaum on the day of judgment.
• Jesus speaks of a difference in judgment, not simply a difference in reputation. The phrase “more tolerable” places the two side by side and makes Capernaum’s outcome the heavier one.