Matthew 11:7

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

5those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is any person who does not take offense at Me.” As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! 9But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

Matthew 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

• As theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• were goingπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• beganἄρχωarchō · be firstG757
• speakingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to the crowdsὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
• aboutπερίperi · aboutG4012
• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• “Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• did you goἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• to seeθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
• A reedκάλαμοςkalamos · reed/stick/penG2563
• shakenσαλεύωsaleuō · to shakeG4531
• by the windἄνεμοςanemos · windG417

Cross-references for Matthew 11:7

• Luke 7:24When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
• Matthew 3:1Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
• Matthew 21:25The baptism of John was from what source: from heaven or from men?” And they began considering the implications among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
• Mark 1:3The voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’”
• Luke 3:3And he came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
• Luke 8:18So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
• John 1:38And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you seeking?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”
• John 5:35He was the lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
• Genesis 49:4Uncontrollable 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 1:17Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?
• Ephesians 4:14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
• James 1:6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, 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

• Jesus, the Christ
• John
• Reed

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Easy
• Justify
• Learn
• Lowly
• Meek
• Mighty
• Pipe
• Reed
• Rest

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