Matthew 11:18

Matthew 11:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
• New International Version (NIV)For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
• New King James Version (NKJV)For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
• New Living Translation (NLT)For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’

Context of Matthew 11:18

16"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds." 20Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

Matthew 11:18 word by word

ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης μήτε ἐσθίων μήτε πίνων, καὶ λέγουσιν· δαιμόνιον ἔχει.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• neitherμήτεmēte · neitherG3383
• eatingἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• drinkingπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• they sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• He hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a devilδαιμόνιονdaimonion · demonG1140

Cross-references for Matthew 11:18

• Matthew 3:4Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
• Jeremiah 15:17I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.
• Jeremiah 16:8You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.
• Luke 1:15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
• 1 Corinthians 9:27But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
• Matthew 10:25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
• 2 Kings 9:11When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, "Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know the fellow and his talk."
• Jeremiah 29:26'The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have charge in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and neck irons.
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.
• John 7:20The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?"
• John 8:48The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
• John 10:20Many of them said, "He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?"
• Acts 26:24And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind."

Commentaries on Matthew 11:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For John came neither eating nor drinking - Leading a very austere and mortified life: and yet, he did not receive him. A sinner will not be persuaded that what he has no mind to imitate can come from God. There are some who will rather blame holiness itself, than esteem it in those whom they do not like. He hath a devil - He is a vile hypocrite, influenced by a demon to deceive and destroy the simple.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-19Verses 16-19 But whereunto shall I liken … - Christ proceeds to reprove the inconsistency and fickleness of that age of people. He says they were like children - nothing pleased them. He refers here to the “plays” or “sports” of children. Instrumental music, or piping and dancing, were used in marriages and festivals as a sign of joy. See the notes at Isaiah 5:11-12. Compare Job 21:11; 2 Samuel 6:14; Judges 11:34; Luke 15:25. Children imitate their…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-24Verses 16-24 Christ reflects on the scribes and Pharisees, who had a proud conceit of themselves. He likens their behaviour to children's play, who being out of temper without reason, quarrel with all the attempts of their fellows to please them, or to get them to join in the plays for which they used to assemble. The cavils of worldly men are often very trifling and show great malice. Something they have to urge against every one, however excellent and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19Here Jesus describes how both John and he himself offended the people of that generation. John lived in the wilderness, eating locusts and honey (Matthew 3:1, 4). People accused him of having a demon. Jesus, by contrast, ate and drank freely with others. People accused him of being like a rebellious son (see Deuteronomy 21:18–21).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 11:18

• Abstinence, Total
• Asceticism
• Bigotry
• Epicureans
• Impenitence
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Nazarite
• Stoicism
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Easy
• Justify
• Learn
• Lowly
• Meek
• Mighty
• Pipe
• Rest
• Thou
• Upbraid

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