Matthew 11 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

John's question from prison and Jesus' answer 11:1–6

v. 1 — the formula: the mission discourse closed

And it came about,independent — the Matthean discourse-closing formula (cf. 7:28; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1) — Septuagintal wayĕhî frame

when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans forward on μετέβη; ἐτέλεσεν, the marker ending each of the five discourses

he went on from thereindependent — the pivot — Jesus resumes his own itinerancy

to teach and preach in their cities.purpose — τοῦ + infinitive of purpose — the twin verbs of 4:23; 9:35

vv. 2–3 — John's question from prison

Now John, hearing in prison of the works of the Christ,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν (v. 3); 'the works of the Christ' precisely where the Messiah is doubted

sending word by his disciples,participial — second preposed participle — διὰ printed against the Byzantine δύο ('two of his disciples')

said to him:independent — the main verb of vv. 2–3 — the singular keeps John the asker, though disciples convey it

'Are you the Coming One,content — fronted Σύ — ὁ ἐρχόμενος a messianic designation (Ps 118:26; Matt 3:11; 21:9)

or should we look for another?'content — deliberative subjunctive — the alternative laid bare

vv. 4–6 — the answer: the works of Isaiah

And answering, Jesus said to them:independent — the Septuagintal ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν frame — the answer will be deeds, not a claim

'Go and report to Johncontent — attendant-circumstance participle + imperative — the messengers turned witnesses

what you hear and see:relative — the evidence — ear and eye together

the blind receive sight and the lame walk,content — Isa 35:5–6 — the first pair of the sixfold catalogue

lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear,content — the second pair — the cleansing exceeds Isaiah's list (cf. 8:2–3)

and the dead are raised and the poor have good news preached to them;content — the climactic pair — Isa 61:1, the gospel to the poor last for emphasis

and blessed is hecontent — the closing beatitude — a veiled word to John himself

whoever is not scandalized because of me.'relative — indefinite ὃς ἐάν — Jesus himself the potential stumbling-block: mercy where John announced fire

More than a prophet, and the children in the marketplace 11:7–19

vv. 7–9 — the threefold question: what did you go out to see?

And as these were going away,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἤρξατο; the messengers exit as the eulogy begins

Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John:independent — the speech-frame — one long discourse runs from here to v. 19

'What did you go out into the wilderness to behold?content — first of the three questions — θεάσασθαι, to view as a spectacle

A reed shaken by the wind?content — verbless — the wind-tossed riverbank reed, image of a vacillation John never showed

But what did you go out to see?content — the question renewed — the refrain of the triple interrogation

A man dressed in soft clothing?content — verbless — the courtier-foil to the camel's-hair prophet

Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings.content — the retort — a barb at the court of the very Herod whose prison holds John

But what did you go out to see?content — the third asking — the editions divide on the punctuation (ἰδεῖν; προφήτην; vs. προφήτην ἰδεῖν), followed as printed

A prophet?content — verbless — at last the right answer

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.content — the surpassing — John exceeds the category he crowns

vv. 10–15 — the verdict on John: the messenger, the greatest, the Elijah

This is hecontent — the identification — John located inside the prophecy, not merely among its speakers

about whom it stands written:relative — the citation formula — γέγραπται, the perfect of abiding authority

'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,content — Mal 3:1 / Exod 23:20 — Malachi's 'before me' become 'before your face': the Lord's coming is the Messiah's coming

who will prepare your way before you.'relative — the herald's task — the same composite catena Mark sets at his gate (Mark 1:2)

Amen, I say to you:content — the solemn asseveration — Jesus' distinctive prefatory ἀμήν

among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist;content — γεννητοὶ γυναικῶν, the Semitic idiom for humankind (Job 14:1) — John the summit of the old age

yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.content — the paradox — μικρότερος, comparative for superlative; the eras, not the men, are ranked

But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,content — the chapter's most contested saying — βιάζεται passive ('suffers violence,' glossed) or middle ('advances forcefully'); left open

and violent men seize it.content — βιασταί — hostile assailants or eager claimants, tracking the voice given to βιάζεται

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John;cause — on the nearest verb — the γάρ grounds the whole John-saying: the prophesying economy runs out at John

and if you are willing to accept it,conditional — protasis inside the speech — the identification receivable only by willing faith

he himself is Elijah who is to come.content — the apodosis — Mal 4:5 fulfilled: John is the awaited Elijah (cf. 17:12–13)

The one who has ears, let him hear.content — the hearing-formula (13:9, 43) — read without the longer Byzantine ἀκούειν

vv. 16–19 — the parable of the children in the marketplace

But to what shall I compare this generation?content — deliberative future — the rabbinic parable-opening

It is like children sitting in the marketplaces,content — the comparison — the sulking players, not the played-to

who, calling out to the others,relative — the relative runs over the verse-seam to its finite verb λέγουσιν (v. 17)

say:relative — the ἃ-clause's finite verb, severed from v. 16 by the verse-seam

'We played the flute for you,content — the glad tune — the wedding-game

and you did not dance;content — the refusal of joy

we sang a dirge,content — the sad tune — the funeral-game; some witnesses add ὑμῖν

and you did not mourn.'content — κόπτεσθαι, the breast-beating — neither tune moves them

For John came neither eating nor drinking,content — first application (γάρ) — the ascetic sang the dirge

and they say,content — the verdict-frame — 'they,' this generation

'He has a demon.'content — the slander on austerity

The Son of Man came eating and drinking,content — second application — the feasting Son of Man played the flute

and they say,content — the matching verdict-frame

'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'content — verbless jeer (cf. Deut 21:20) — the slur that names Jesus' glory (9:10–13)

Yet Wisdom is justified by her deeds.'content — gnomic aorist — ἔργων ('deeds') printed against Luke's τέκνων ('children,' 7:35); the ἔργα of v. 2 return

Woes on the unrepentant cities 11:20–24

vv. 20–22 — Chorazin and Bethsaida measured against Tyre and Sidon

Then he began to reproach the citiesindependent — Τότε, the Matthean pivot — rejection sharpens into judgment-speech

in which most of his mighty works had been done,relative — the privileged towns — δυνάμεις, the deeds of power of chs. 8–9

because they did not repent:cause — the charge — the works demanded μετάνοια and met none

'Woe to you, Chorazin!content — verbless prophetic woe — the speech hangs directly on the verb of reproaching

Woe to you, Bethsaida!content — the twin woe — the home town of apostles among the unrepentant

For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,conditional — contrary-to-fact protasis (carrying the causal ὅτι with it) — leaning forward on the ἄν-apodosis below

they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.cause — the ὅτι-ground of the woe — pagan Tyre and Sidon outdo Galilee in imagined penitence (cf. Jonah 3:6)

But I tell you,content — πλήν — the verdict-formula

it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.content — ἀνεκτότερον — degrees of judgment: greater light, greater reckoning

vv. 23–24 — Capernaum measured against Sodom

And you, Capernaum — will you be exalted to heaven?content — Isa 14:13 (against Babylon) turned on Jesus' own town; interrogative μή (expecting 'no') printed against the Byzantine relative

You will go down to Hades.content — Isa 14:15 — the fall answering the pretension; καταβήσῃ printed against καταβιβασθήσῃ

For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom,conditional — contrary-to-fact protasis — Sodom, the archetype of judgment (Gen 19), the comparison of last resort

it would have remained to this day.cause — the ὅτι-ground of the sentence — Sodom would still stand had it seen Capernaum's works

But I tell youcontent — the verdict-formula repeated, now with ὅτι

that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.'content — the gravest sentence — Sodom above Capernaum: squandered grace weighs heaviest

The Father and the Son, and the gentle yoke 11:25–30

vv. 25–27 — the thanksgiving: hidden from the wise, revealed to infants

At that time Jesus answered and said:independent — the turn from woe to worship — ἀποκριθείς with no question asked, responding to the moment itself

'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,content — the LXX verb of grateful confession — intimacy ('Father') joined to cosmic lordship

because you have hidden these things from the wise and understandingcause — the ground of praise — even the concealment is the Father's own doing

and revealed them to infants;cause — the great reversal — νήπιοι, the unschooled and dependent, the recipients

yes, Father,content — verbless assent — article + nominative for vocative, a Semitic address

for such was your good pleasure.cause — εὐδοκία — the reversal rests on free, gracious choosing, not on merit

All things have been handed over to me by my Father,content — the 'Johannine thunderbolt' begins — total delegation to the Son

and no one knows the Son except the Father,content — ἐπιγινώσκει — full, intimate knowledge; the absolute 'the Son'

nor does anyone know the Father except the Soncontent — the mutual knowing — the ground of all revelation

and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.relative — indefinite ᾧ ἐάν — the Son's sovereign freedom to disclose; the door into v. 28

vv. 28–30 — the comfortable words: come, take, learn

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,content — the Wisdom-summons (cf. Sir 51:23–27) in Jesus' own voice — the toiling and the laden alike

and I will give you rest.content — emphatic κἀγώ — the rest is his to give

Take my yoke upon youcontent — the yoke — the rabbinic figure for submission to a teaching, now Jesus' own

and learn from me,content — μάθετε — become learners (μαθηταί) of this Teacher

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,cause — the Teacher's character — πραΰς, the beatitude-word (5:5) and the king's (21:5; Zech 9:9)

and you will find rest for your souls;content — Jer 6:16 — the ancient promise of the good way, found now at this yoke

for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'cause — χρηστός — kindly, well-fitting; the chapter ends on grace, against the heavy loads of 23:4

Analysis. Matthew 11 has only four flush-left narrative moments — the discourse-closing formula of v. 1, ἤρξατο λέγειν in v. 7, ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν in v. 20, and ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν in v. 25 — and nearly everything else hangs blue beneath them: the chapter is speech about John, against the cities, and to the Father. John's embassy (vv. 2–3) rides two preposed participles (ἀκούσας, πέμψας) leaning across the verse-seam onto εἶπεν; Jesus' reply is a flat catena under εἶπεν whose center is the sixfold Isaiah tapestry (35:5–6; 61:1), one pair per line, the gospel to the poor placed last. From v. 7b a single discourse runs to v. 19 as a coordinate catena at constant depth under λέγειν: the threefold 'what did you go out to see?' with its verbless foils, the Malachi citation stepping down οὗτός → γέγραπται → the messenger's relative (Mal 3:1 / Exod 23:20, Malachi's 'before me' become 'before your face'), the ἀμήν-saying with its paradox of the least, and the marketplace parable, whose children's song nests inside the relative clause that the verse-seam severs from its own finite verb λέγουσιν. The woes hang directly on ὀνειδίζειν (no λέγων is supplied); both contrary-to-fact protases (vv. 21, 23) lean forward, carrying their ὅτι with them, onto ἄν-apodoses anchored to the woe and the fall they ground. The thanksgiving and the comfortable words hang under εἶπεν, the γάρ of the light yoke closing the chapter one step deeper under εὑρήσετε. Cruxes taken or flagged: βιάζεται (v. 12) is glossed passive ('suffers violence') with the middle ('advances forcefully') named in the tag; v. 19 prints ἔργων ('deeds') against Luke's τέκνων ('children'); v. 23 reads the interrogative μὴ … ὑψωθήσῃ against the Byzantine relative, and καταβήσῃ against καταβιβασθήσῃ; v. 2 reads διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν against the Byzantine δύο; and the punctuation of v. 9 (ἰδεῖν; προφήτην;) follows the printed editions' divide.