Luke 7:31

Luke 7:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
• English Standard Version (ESV)"To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?

Context of Luke 7:31

29All the people and the tax collectors who heard Jesus, acknowledged [the validity of] God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and the lawyers [who were experts in the Mosaic Law] annulled and set aside God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation [who set aside God’s plan], and what are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, and saying, ‘We played the flute for you [pretending to be at a wedding], and you did not dance; we sang a dirge [pretending to be at a funeral], and you did not weep [so nothing we did appealed to you].’ 33For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

Luke 7:31 word by word

τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ τίνι εἰσὶν ὅμοιοι;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whereuntoτίςtis · which?G5101
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• shall I likenὁμοιόωhomoioō · to likenG3666
• the menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• are theyεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664

Cross-references for Luke 7:31

• Lamentations 2:13How shall I console you? To what shall I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem? With what shall I compare you, so that I may comfort you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? For your ruin is as vast as the sea; Who can heal you?
• Matthew 11:16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market places, who call to the others,
• Mark 4:30And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it?

Commentaries on Luke 7:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31And the Lord said - Almost every MS. of authority and importance, with most of the versions, omit these words. As the Evangelistaria (the books which contained those portions of the Gospels which were read in the Churches) began at this verse, the words were probably at first used by them, to introduce the following parable. There is the fullest proof that they never made a part of Luke's text. Every critic rejects them. Bengel and Griesbach leave them…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19-35Verses 19-35 See this passage explained in Luke 7:29 The people - The common people. That heard him - That heard “John.” The publicans - The tax-gatherers, the worst kind of people, who had, however, been converted. Justified God - Considered God as “just” or “right” in the counsel which he gave by John - to wit, in calling people to repentance, and in denouncing future wrath on the impenitent. Compare Matthew 11:19. Being baptized … - They “showed” that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-35Verses 19-35 To his miracles in the kingdom of nature, Christ adds this in the kingdom of grace, To the poor the gospel is preached. It clearly pointed out the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom, that the messenger he sent before him to prepare his way, did it by preaching repentance and reformation of heart and life. We have here the just blame of those who were not wrought upon by the ministry of John Baptist or of Jesus Christ himself. They made a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-35To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation?: Jesus compares Israel to fickle children in the marketplace who play games of make-believe. They called John the Baptist to dance (a wedding game), but the serious prophet refused. Instead, he called them to mourn and repent of their sins. Then they called on Jesus to mourn (a funeral game), but he was the bridegroom who announced the joyful celebration banquet of the kingdom of God. It would not…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3531-35. the Lord said, &c.--As cross, capricious children, invited by their playmates to join them in their amusements, will play with them neither at weddings nor funerals (juvenile imitations of the joyous and mournful scenes of life), so that generation rejected both John and his Master: the one because he was too unsocial--more like a demoniac than a rational man; the other, because He was too much the reverse, given to animal indulgences, and…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 7:31

• Children
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Apparel
• Delicately
• Frankly
• Instantly
• Sit
• Wipe
• Chronology of the New Testament
• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Mark, the Gospel According to

Commentaries on Luke 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings