Matthew 11 · Verse 14

Matthew 11:14

And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Matthew 11:14, King James Version

Matthew 11:14 in other translations

BSBAnd if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
WEBIf you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
ASVAnd if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.
YLTand if ye are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who was about to come;
DARBYAnd if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who is to come.
BBEAnd if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.
WebsterAnd if ye will receive it, this is Elijah who was to come.

What does Matthew 11:14 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. If ye will receive it. This is a way of speaking implying that the doctrine which he was about to state was different from their common views; that he was about to state something which varied from the common expectation, and which, therefore, they might be disposed to reject.

This is Elias, etc. That is, Elijah. Elias is the Greek mode of writing the Hebrew word Elijah. An account of him is found in the first and second books of Kings. He was a distinguished prophet, and was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, 2Kgs 2:11. The prophet Malachi, (Mal 4:5,6) predicted that Elijah should be sent before the coming of the Messiah, to prepare the way for him. By this was evidently meant, not that he should appear in person, but that one should appear with a striking resemblance to him; or, as Luke Lk 1:17 expresses it, "in the spirit and power of Elijah." But the Jews understood it differently. They expected that Elijah would appear in person. They also supposed that Jeremiah and some other of the prophets would appear also to usher in the promised Messiah, and to grace his advent. Mt 16:14, 17:10, Jn 1:21. This expectation was the reason why he used the words, if ye will receive it, implying that the affirmation that John was the promised Elijah, was a doctrine contrary to their expectation.

(m) "which was for" Mal 4:5, Mt 17:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 This is Elias, which was for to come - This should always be written Elijah, that as strict a conformity as possible might be kept up between the names in the Old Testament and the New. The Prophet Malachi, who predicted the coming of the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elijah, gave the three following distinct characteristics of him. First, That he should be the forerunner and messenger of the Messiah: Behold I send my messenger before me, Mal 3:1. Secondly, That he should appear before the destruction of the second temple: Even the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, ibid. Thirdly, That he should preach repentance to the Jews; and that, some time after, the great and terrible day of the Lord should come, and the Jewish land be smitten with a curse, Mal 4:5, Mal 4:6. Now these three characters agree perfectly with the conduct of the Baptist, and what shortly followed his preaching, and have not been found in any one else; which is a convincing proof that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 11:7-15

What Christ said concerning John, was not only for his praise, but for the people's profit. Those who attend on the word will be called to give an account of their improvements. Do we think when the sermon is done, the care is over? No, then the greatest of the care begins. John was a self-denying man, dead to all the pomps of the world and the pleasures of sense. It becomes people, in all their appearances, to be…

Read the full comment on Matthew 11:7-15 →

Matthew 11:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
εἰeiifG1487
θέλετεtheleteyou are willingG2309
δέξασθαι,dexasthaito receive [it],G1209
αὐτόςautoshe himselfG846
ἐστινestinisG1510
ἨλίαςĒliasElijahG2243
ὁhowhoG3588
μέλλωνmellōnis being aboutG3195
ἔρχεσθαι.erchesthaito come.G2064

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 11:14

  • Malachi 4:5

    Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

  • Mark 9:11-13

    And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

  • Matthew 17:10-13

    And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

  • Luke 1:17

    And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  • John 1:21-23

    And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

  • Ezekiel 2:5

    And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

  • John 16:12

    I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:2

    I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

  • Ezekiel 3:10-11

    Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

  • Revelation 20:4

    And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if.
Eze 2:5; 3:10,11; Joh 16:12; 1Co 3:2
this.
17:10-13; Mal 4:5; Mr 9:11-13; Lu 1:17; Joh 1:21-23; Re 20:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 11:13

    For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

  • Matthew 11:14

    And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

  • Matthew 11:15

    He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Read all of Matthew 11

Matthew 11:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y si queréis recibir, él es aquel Elías que había de venir.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et si vous voulez recevoir ce que je vous dis, celui-ci est Élie qui doit venir.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und wenn ihr es annehmen wollt, er ist Elias, der kommen soll.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et si vultis recipere, ipse est Elias, qui venturus est.