Berean Standard Bible
Matthew 11:7
7As John’s disciples were leaving, 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?
Matthew 11:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
- New International Version (NIV)As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
- English Standard Version (ESV)As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- New King James Version (NKJV)As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Context of Matthew 11:7
5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, 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? 8Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Read all of Matthew 11Matthew 11:7 word by word
Τούτων δὲ πορευομένων ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγειν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου· τί ἐξήλθατε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι; κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον;Read the interlinear
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- Asοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- were leavingπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- to speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- crowdsὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
- aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- did you go outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
- to seeθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
- A reedκάλαμοςkalamos · reed/stick/penG2563
- swayingσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
- inὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- windἄνεμοςanemos · windG417
Cross-references for Matthew 11:7
- Luke 7:24After John’s 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?
- Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
- Matthew 21:25What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
- Mark 1:3“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
- Luke 3:3He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
- Luke 8:18Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
- John 1:38Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
- John 5:35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.
- Genesis 49:4Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.
- 2 Corinthians 1:17When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”?
- Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
- James 1:6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Commentaries on Matthew 11:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7What went ye out into the wilderness to see? - The purport of our Lord's design, in this and the following verses, is to convince the scribes and Pharisees of the inconsistency of their conduct in acknowledging John Baptist for a divinely authorized teacher, and not believing in the very Christ which he pointed out to them. He also shows, from the excellencies of John's character, that their confidence in him was not misplaced, and that this was a farther…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7And as they departed - Jesus took occasion, from the inquiries made by John‘s disciples, to instruct the people respecting the true character of John. Multitudes had gone out to hear him when he preached in the desert Matthew 3, and it is probable that many had been attracted by the novelty of his appearance or doctrines, or had gone simply to see and hear a man of singular habits and opinions. Probably many who followed Christ had been of that number…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 What Christ said concerning John, was not only for his praise, but for the people's profit. Those who attend on the word will be called to give an account of their improvements. Do we think when the sermon is done, the care is over? No, then the greatest of the care begins. John was a self-denying man, dead to all the pomps of the world and the pleasures of sense. It becomes people, in all their appearances, to be consistent with their…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7A reed swaying in the wind: This refers to an unstable person. The implied answer to this rhetorical question is "no."Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-191. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciple--rather, "the twelve disciples," he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities--This was scarcely a fourth circuit--if we may judge from the less formal way in which it was expressed--but, perhaps, a set of visits paid to certain places, either not reached at all before, or too rapidly passed through, in order to fill up the time till the return of the Twelve…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 11:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 11
- 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
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