Chorazin

Chorazin was a town in Galilee that Jesus rebuked for its lack of repentance despite the mighty works he had done there.

Chorazin was a town located in Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee, during the time of Jesus Christ's ministry. It is mentioned twice in the Gospels, both in the context of Jesus pronouncing judgment on the town for its unbelief and lack of repentance (Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13).

In these passages, Jesus contrasts Chorazin with the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, stating that if the mighty works he had performed in Chorazin had been done in those cities, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. This suggests that Jesus had carried out significant miracles and teachings in Chorazin, yet the people remained unresponsive to his message.

Jesus then declares that it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for Chorazin, emphasizing the severity of the town's spiritual hardness and the consequences of rejecting the Messiah.

The exact location of Chorazin is not specified in the Bible, but it is believed to be the modern-day site of Khirbet Karazeh, about 2.5 miles north of Capernaum. Archaeological excavations at the site have revealed the remains of a synagogue from the 3rd or 4th century AD, as well as residential buildings and streets.

Chorazin serves as a sobering example of the consequences of unbelief and the importance of responding to Jesus' teachings and miracles with faith and repentance.

Named along with Bethsaida and Capernaum as one of the cities in which our Lord’s “mighty works” were done, and which was doomed to woe because of signal privileges neglected (Matt. 11:21; Luke 10:13). It has been identified by general consent with the modern Kerazeh, about 2 1/2 miles up the Wady Kerazeh from Capernaum; i.e., Tell Hum.