English Standard Version
Matthew 11:7
7As 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?
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?
- 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?
- New Living Translation (NLT)As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?
Context of Matthew 11:7
5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." 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? 8What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And asδέde · thenG1161
- theyοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- departedπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- to sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto the multitudesὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
- concerningπερίperi · aboutG4012
- JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- went ye outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
- to seeθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
- A reedκάλαμοςkalamos · reed/stick/penG2563
- shakenσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
- withὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- the windἄνεμοςanemos · windG417
Cross-references for Matthew 11:7
- Luke 7:24When John's messengers had gone, 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?
- Matthew 3:1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
- Matthew 21:25The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
- Mark 1:3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
- Luke 3:3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
- Luke 8:18Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."
- John 1:38Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
- John 5:35He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
- Genesis 49:4Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!
- 2 Corinthians 1:17Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time?
- Ephesians 4:14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
- James 1:6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries