Matthew 11:20 (ASV)

Passage

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

Nearby Context

Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.

Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

Matthew 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.

Matthew 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "began", "upbraid", "cities", "wherein", "most", "mighty", "works", and "done". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "began" and "upbraid", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "The Son of man came eating and..." into verse 21's "Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee...", so "began" and "upbraid" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "began" and "upbraid" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.