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

29Many people heard what Jesus said. Even the men who took taxes from people agreed with his message. They had gone to John to baptize them. They all said, ‘What God says about us is right.’ 30But the Pharisees and the men that studied God's Law had not asked John to baptize them. They did not believe the message that God was giving to them. Jesus continued to teach. He said, ‘I will talk to you about the people that are alive today. I will tell you what they are like. 32They are like children who are sitting in the market place. They are playing games. They shout to other children, “We made happy music on a flute for you, but you did not dance. Then we sang a sad song but you did not cry.” 33You are like those children. When John the Baptist came to you, he did not eat ordinary food. He never drank wine. So you say that John has a bad spirit in him.

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 2:13I want to help you people of Jerusalem, but there is nothing that I can say to you. I do not know about anything like what has happened to you. God has destroyed Zion completely! I do not know anyone who can make you people better.
• Matthew 11:16Jesus said, ‘I will talk to you about the people who are alive today. They are like children who are sitting in the market place. They are playing games and they shout to other children,
• Mark 4:30Jesus said, ‘I will tell you another story about the kingdom of God. This story shows what the kingdom of God is like.

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