Matthew 13:53-58 - Rejected At Nazareth

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place.

⁵⁴ Going to his own part of the country, he taught the people in their Synagogue in such a manner that they were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this wisdom?" they said, "and the miracles? ⁵⁵ Is not he the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And his sisters, too--are not they all living among us? Where, then did he get all this?" ⁵⁷ These things proved a hindrance to their believing in him; whereupon Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house." ⁵⁸ And he did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.

¹ On leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his disciples, went to his own part of the country. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the Synagogue; and the people, as they listened, were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this?" they said, "and what is this wisdom that has been given him? and these miracles which he is doing? ³ Is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters, too, living here among us?" This proved a hindrance to their believing in him;

⁴ On which Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home." ⁵ And he could not work any miracle there, beyond placing his hands upon a few infirm persons, and curing them; ⁶ And he wondered at the want of faith shown by the people. Jesus went round the villages, one after another, teaching.

¹⁶ Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures. ¹⁷ The book given him was that of the Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and found the place where it says--

¹⁸ 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, For he has consecrated me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and restoration of sight to the blind, To set the oppressed at liberty, ¹⁹ To proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.'

²⁰ Then, closing the book and returning it to the attendant, he sat down. The eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed upon him, ²¹ And Jesus began: "This very day this passage has been fulfilled in your hearing."

²² All who were present spoke well of him, and were astonished at the beautiful words that fell from his lips. "Is not he Joseph's son?" they asked.

²³ "Doubtless," said Jesus, "you will remind me of the saying-- 'Doctor, cure yourself;' and you will say 'Do here in your own country all that we have heard that has been done at Capernaum.'

²⁴ I tell you," he continued, "that no Prophet is acceptable in his own country. ²⁵ There were, doubtless, many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, and a severe famine prevailed throughout the country; ²⁶ And yet it was not to one of them that Elijah was sent, but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidonia. ²⁷ And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, yet it was not one of them who was made clean, but Naaman the Syrian."

²⁸ All the people in the Synagogue, as they listened to this, became enraged. ²⁹ Starting up, they drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, intending to hurl him down. ³⁰ But he passed through the middle of the crowd and went on his way.