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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17“ ‘We played the pipe 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, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” 20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, 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 3:4John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
• Jeremiah 15:17I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.
• Jeremiah 16:8“And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink.
• Luke 1:15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
• 1 Corinthians 9:27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
• Matthew 10:25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
• 2 Kings 9:11When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?” “You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.
• Jeremiah 29:26‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons.
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac.
• John 7:20“You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”
• John 8:48The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
• John 10:20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
• Acts 26:24At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”

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