Matthew 11:28 (KJV)

What does Matthew 11:28 mean?

Jesus invites all who are weary from toil and weighed down with burdens to come to him, promising that he himself will give them rest. In the surrounding passage, Jesus connects that rest with learning from him and taking his yoke upon them.

The key is the difference between “labour” and “are heavy laden.” The Greek describes people who are working to exhaustion and people who have been loaded with a burden. Together, these expressions describe the weary people Jesus addresses, without naming one particular burden.

The Greek behind Matthew 11:28

• “Come” — δεῦτε (deute): A direct invitation meaning “come” or “come here,” addressed to more than one person. With “unto me,” Jesus makes himself the destination of the invitation.

• “labour” — κοπιῶντες (kopiōntes): Means to toil or work hard, with the sense of becoming weary through effort. The form describes people engaged in exhausting work; the KJV’s “labour” carries more than the simple idea of having a task.

• “are heavy laden” — πεφορτισμένοι (pephortismenoi): Means people who have been loaded down and remain burdened. The form presents them as carrying an existing load. The word itself does not identify who placed the load on them or exactly what the load is.

• “give … rest” — ἀναπαύσω (anapausō): Means “I will give rest” or “I will refresh.” The KJV’s “give” and “rest” express one Greek verb. Jesus promises to bring relief to the weary people he calls.

Why Matthew 11:28 matters

• Jesus personally promises the relief. “And I” translates κἀγώ (kagō), meaning “and I” or “and I myself.” The invitation “come unto me” is answered by the promise that Jesus will act.

• “All” includes everyone described as weary and burdened. πάντες (pantes), “all,” belongs with the descriptions that follow: all those who labour and are heavy laden.

• The following verses explain the character of the rest. In Matthew 11:29–30, Jesus speaks of his yoke, learning from him, and his light burden. The promised rest therefore belongs with becoming his learner, rather than simply ceasing all activity.