Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The startling point here isn't just that rejection leads to judgment, but that the intensity of judgment is directly tied to the amount of light you've received. Sodom and Gomorrah faced God's fiery wrath for their deep depravity, but a town that rejects Jesus' messengers, who bring a far greater revelation, faces an even more severe reckoning. This reveals there are different weights of accountability, and experiencing God's offer of salvation makes the stakes astronomically higher.
Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending out his disciples to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, instructing them to rely on God's provision and the hospitality of those they meet. He warns them that if a town rejects their message, it will face a harsher judgment than the notoriously wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This comparison emphasizes the severe consequences of rejecting God's messengers and the message of salvation they carry.
Imagine being told that a city known for its extreme wickedness will face a 'lighter' judgment than a place that simply refused a messenger. What could that possibly mean?
Jesus uses the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as a benchmark for divine judgment. These cities were utterly destroyed for their profound sinfulness.
A Stark Contrast
Jesus states that the punishment for the town that rejects his messengers will be more tolerable than what Sodom and Gomorrah faced. The core reason? Light and knowledge.
When we are given more truth, more revelation, and more opportunities to respond to God, our responsibility and accountability increase dramatically. Ignoring or rejecting God's clear message carries a heavier weight than the sins of those who never truly knew better.
The idea of 'the day of judgment' can feel abstract. But Jesus paints a vivid picture of its reality and its varying severity.
This verse confronts us with the sobering reality of divine judgment. It's not a one-size-fits-all scenario; there are degrees of punishment.
Ask a follow-up
The Gravity of Rejection
Jesus isn't just talking about a future, final judgment. He's emphasizing the immediate and future consequences of rejecting God's messengers and, by extension, God's offer of salvation.
Understand the original words
krisis · Greek Noun
The future event when God, specifically through Jesus Christ, evaluates the lives and actions of humanity, rendering justice based on their response to the gospel.
Sodoma kai Gomorra · Greek Proper Noun
Biblical cities in Genesis destroyed by God due to their extreme wickedness and sexual immorality; they serve as a standard reference in Scripture for severe divine judgment.
Jesus' comparison of rejecting his messengers to the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah highlights a core principle: the greater the divine revelation and opportunity offered, the more severe the judgment for those who refuse it.
~2000 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God due to their extreme wickedness, serving as a stark example of divine judgment. Their story is recorded in Genesis 19.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Commissioning of the Twelve
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and performing miracles. He commissions his twelve apostles, sending them out to preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Teachings on Judgment
Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently speaks about future judgment, warning about the consequences of rejecting him and his message. He often uses historical examples like Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate his points.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' principle that those who have more knowledge and opportunity will be held to a higher standard, meaning their judgment will be more severe than those with less.
Matthew 11:23-24Jesus makes a similar comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah, highlighting that even these notoriously wicked cities will face a more 'bearable' judgment than towns that reject his message, underscoring the gravity of rejecting divine truth.
2 Peter 2:6This verse references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of judgment for ungodliness, reinforcing their status as a benchmark for extreme wickedness and divine punishment.
Jude 1:7Similar to 2 Peter, Jude uses Sodom and Gomorrah as a stark example of divine vengeance for sexual immorality and going against nature, emphasizing the severe consequences of rejecting God's ways.
barnesMatthew 10:15: "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."
It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom ... - The cities here mentioned, together with Admah and Zeboim, were destroyed by fire and brimstone on account of their great wickedness. They occupied the place afterward covered by the Dead Sea, bounding Palestine on the southeast, Genesis 19:24-25. Christ said that their punishment will be more "to…
meyerMatthew 10:15: "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."
Matthew 10:15 . Γῇ Σοδ ., κ . τ . λ .] the land (those who once inhabited the land) where Sodom and Gomorrah stood . The truth of this asseveration is founded on the principle in morals, that the more fully the will of God is proclaimed ( Luke 12:47 ; Matthew 11:20 ff.), the greater the guilt of those who resist it. Notice how the resurrection of the…
The startling point here isn't just that rejection leads to judgment, but that the intensity of judgment is directly tied to the amount of light you've received. Sodom and Gomorrah faced God's fiery wrath for their deep depravity, but a town that rejects Jesus' messengers, who bring a far greater revelation, faces an even more severe reckoning. This reveals there are different weights of accountability, and experiencing God's offer of salvation makes the stakes astronomically higher.
Jesus is sending out his disciples to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, instructing them to rely on God's provision and the hospitality of those they meet. He warns them that if a town rejects their message, it will face a harsher judgment than the notoriously wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This comparison emphasizes the severe consequences of rejecting God's messengers and the message of salvation they carry.
Jesus is sending out his disciples to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, instructing them to rely on God's provision and the hospitality of those they meet. He warns them that if a town rejects their message, it will face a harsher judgment than the notoriously wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This comparison emphasizes the severe consequences of rejecting God's messengers and the message of salvation they carry.
"Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town." — The startling point here isn't just that rejection leads to judgment, but that the intensity of judgment is directly tied to the amount of light you've received. Sodom and Gomorrah faced God's fier…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026