New King James Version
Matthew 21:16
16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
Matthew 21:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
- New International Version (NIV)“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’ ?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?"
- New Living Translation (NLT)They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
Context of Matthew 21:16
14Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” 17Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there. 18Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
Read all of Matthew 21Matthew 21:16 word by word
καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἀκούεις τί οὗτοι λέγουσιν; ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· ναί. οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε ὅτι ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσω αἶνον;¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Hearest thouἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Yeaναίnai · yesG3483
- have yeἀναγινώσκωanaginōskō · to readG314
- neverοὐδέποτεoudepote · neverG3763
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- Outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- of the mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- of babesνήπιοςnēpios · childG3516
- sucklingsθηλάζωthēlazō · to suckleG2337
- thou hast perfectedκαταρτίζωkatartizō · to completeG2675
- praiseαἶνοςainos · praiseG136
Cross-references for Matthew 21:16
- Luke 19:39And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
- John 11:47Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs.
- Acts 4:16saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
- Matthew 12:3But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
- Matthew 19:4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’
- Matthew 22:31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,
- Mark 2:25But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
- Psalms 8:2Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
Commentaries on Matthew 21:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Out of the mouth of babes - The eighth Psalm, out of which these words are quoted, is applied to Jesus Christ in three other places in the new covenant, 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 2:6. Which proves it to be merely a prophetic psalm, relating to the Messiah. It was a common thing among the Jews for the children to be employed in public acclamations; and thus they were accustomed to hail their celebrated rabbins. This shouting of the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 This paragraph contains the account of the barren fig-tree, and of the cleansing of the temple. See also Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48. Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God - From Mark 11:11-15, it is probable that this cleansing of the temple did not take place on the day that he entered Jerusalem in triumph, but on the day following. He came and looked round upon all things, Mark says, and went out to Bethany with the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry, Joh 2:13-17. His works testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater than the glory of the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Have you never read: Jesus asked this challenging question to opponents who failed to see that his ministry fulfilled the promises about the Messiah (see also Matthew 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:42; 22:31).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 21:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 21
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries