Luke 10:12-14

Context
10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom¹ than for that town!²

10:13 “Woe to you, Chorazin!³ Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if⁴ the miracles⁵ done in you had been done in Tyre⁶ and Sidon,⁷ they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 10:14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you!

Luke 12:47-48

Context
12:47 That⁸ servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked⁹ will receive a severe beating. 12:48 But the one who did not know his master’s will¹⁰ and did things worthy of punishment¹¹ will receive a light beating.¹² From everyone who has been given much, much will be required,¹³ and from the one who has been entrusted with much,¹⁴ even more will be asked.¹⁵

Matthew 11:22-24

Context
11:22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! 11:23 And you, Capernaum,¹⁶ will you be exalted to heaven?¹⁷ No, you will be thrown down to Hades!¹⁸ 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 Sodom¹⁹ on the day of judgment than for you!”

James 3:1

Context

The Power of the Tongue

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,²⁰ because you know that we will be judged more strictly.²¹

[10:12] ¹sn 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 than the worst sins of the old era and will result in more severe punishment. The noun Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[10:12] ²tn Or “city.”

[10:13] ³sn Chorazin was a town of Galilee that was probably fairly small in contrast to Bethsaida and is otherwise unattested. Bethsaida was declared a polis by the tetrarch Herod Philip, sometime after a.d. 30.

[10:13] ⁴tn This introduces a second class (contrary to fact) condition in the Greek text.

[10:13] ⁵tn Or “powerful deeds.”

[10:13] ⁶map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[10:13] ⁷sn Tyre and Sidon are two other notorious OT cities (Isa 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4). The remark is a severe rebuke, in effect: “Even the sinners of the old era would have responded to the proclamation of the kingdom, unlike you!”

[12:47] ⁸tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[12:47] ⁹tn Grk “or do according to his will”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity. This example deals with the slave who knew what the command was and yet failed to complete it.

[12:48] ¹⁰tn Grk “did not know”; the phrase “his master’s will” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the contemporary English reader.

[12:48] ¹¹tn Grk “blows.”

[12:48] ¹²tn Grk “will receive few (blows).”

[12:48] ¹³tn Grk “required from him”; but the words “from him” are redundant in English and have not been translated.

[12:48] ¹⁴sn Entrusted with much. To be gifted with precious responsibility is something that requires faithfulness.

[12:48] ¹⁵tn Grk “they will ask even more.”

[11:23] ¹⁶sn 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.

[11:23] ¹⁷tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.

[11:23] ¹⁸sn 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).

[11:24] ¹⁹sn 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.

[3:1] ²⁰tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[3:1] ²¹tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”