Matthew 9:5

9:5 Which is easier, ¹  to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?

Matthew 11:20

Woes on Unrepentant Cities

11:20 Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities ²  in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent.

Matthew 13:7

13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, ³  and they grew up and choked them. ⁴ 

Matthew 13:56

13:56 And aren’t all his sisters here with us? Where did he get all this?” ⁵ 

Matthew 24:37

24:37 For just like the days of Noah ⁶  were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

[9:5]  ¹ sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.

[11:20]  ² tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis) which can be translated “city” or “town.” “Cities” was chosen here to emphasize the size of the places Jesus’ mentions in the following verses.

[13:7]  ³ sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.

[13:7]  ⁴ sn That is, crowded out the good plants.

[13:56]  ⁴ tn Grk “Where did he get these things?”

[24:37]  ⁵ sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.