24When the messengers of John had left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? [7:25] But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal courts. [7:26] But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. [7:27] This is the one about whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' [7:28] I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." [7:29] And all the people who heard, and the tax collectors, declared God righteous, having been baptized with the baptism of John. [7:30] But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. [7:31] "To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? [7:32] They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a lament, and you did not weep.' [7:33] For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' [7:34] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' [7:35] And wisdom is declared righteous by all her children."
LUK 7:24-35
Jesus Testifies about John
In the world it was spoken into
In this passage, Jesus addresses crowds who had gone to see John the Baptist in the wilderness, contrasting John’s prophetic role with the expectations of his audience. The mention of a 'reed shaken by the wind' evokes the instability of political or religious figures who sway with public opinion, a common critique in 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. Jesus’ reference to those in 'fine clothing' and 'luxury' living in palaces critiques the elite, particularly the Herodians or Roman collaborators, whose opulence symbolized moral compromise. John’s ascetic lifestyle in the wilderness aligns with prophetic traditions, particularly Elijah, and underscores his role as a messenger preparing the way for God’s intervention. The phrase 'more than a prophet' elevates John’s status, linking him to Malachi’s prophecy of a forerunner to the Messiah. The rejection of John’s baptism by the 'people of this generation' reflects the broader tension between Jesus’ message and the religious authorities, who often dismissed prophetic movements as threats to their power.
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How other translations render this
LUK 7:24
- KJV
- And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
- BSB
- After Johnʼs messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
- Koinōnos
- When the messengers of John had left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
LUK 7:25
- KJV
- But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.
- BSB
- Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear elegant clothing and live in luxury are found in palaces.
- Koinōnos
- But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal courts.
LUK 7:26
- KJV
- But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
- BSB
- What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Koinōnos
- But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
LUK 7:27
- KJV
- This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
- BSB
- This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
- Koinōnos
- This is the one about whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.
LUK 7:28
- KJV
- For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
- BSB
- I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
- Koinōnos
- I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
LUK 7:29
- KJV
- And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
- BSB
- All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged Godʼs justice. For they had received the baptism of John.
- Koinōnos
- And all the people who heard, and the tax collectors, declared God righteous, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
LUK 7:30
- KJV
- But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
- BSB
- But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected Godʼs purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.
- Koinōnos
- But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
LUK 7:31
- KJV
- And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
- BSB
- “To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?
- Koinōnos
- To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?
LUK 7:32
- KJV
- They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
- BSB
- They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
- Koinōnos
- They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a lament, and you did not weep.
LUK 7:33
- KJV
- For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
- BSB
- For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
- Koinōnos
- For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.
LUK 7:34
- KJV
- The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
- BSB
- The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
- Koinōnos
- The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!
LUK 7:35
- KJV
- But wisdom is justified of all her children.
- BSB
- But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
- Koinōnos
- And wisdom is declared righteous by all her children.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
LUK 7:25
- fine:The word translated 'fine' here refers to soft, luxurious clothing, often associated with a decadent or effeminate lifestyle, contrasting with the rugged appearance of John the Baptist.
LUK 7:29
- declared as righteous:The phrase 'declared as righteous' means to be pronounced or shown to be in the right, or to be justified, in God's sight. It's a legal or relational term, not primarily about personal moral perfection.
LUK 7:30
- lawyers:The 'lawyers' mentioned here were experts in the Mosaic Law, often scribes or teachers, who interpreted and applied the Jewish legal tradition.
- rejected:The word translated 'rejected' carries the sense of setting aside, nullifying, or treating as invalid, often implying contempt or disregard for something that should be honored.