Matthew 4:13

4:13 While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth ¹  to make his home in Capernaum ²  by the sea, ³  in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Matthew 4:23

Jesus’ Healing Ministry

4:23 Jesus ⁴  went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, ⁵  preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people.

Matthew 11:23-24

11:23 And you, Capernaum, ⁶  will you be exalted to heaven? ⁷  No, you will be thrown down to Hades! ⁸  For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 11:24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom ⁹  on the day of judgment than for you!”

John 4:48

4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people ¹⁰  see signs and wonders you will never believe!” ¹¹ 

¹ map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.

² tn Grk “and leaving Nazareth, he came and took up residence in Capernaum.”

³ tn Or “by the lake.”

⁴ tn Grk “And he.”

⁵ sn Synagogues were places for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).

⁶ sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.

⁷ tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.

⁸ sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).

⁹ sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious, and will result in more severe punishment, than the worst sins of the old era. The phrase region of Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

¹⁰ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than the royal official alone).

¹¹ tn Or “you never believe.” The verb πιστεύσητε (pisteushte) is aorist subjunctive and may have either nuance.