Matthew 11:8

Matthew 11:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
• New International Version (NIV)If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.
• English Standard Version (ESV)What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

Context of Matthew 11:8

6And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” 7As 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? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’

Matthew 11:8 word by word

ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἠμφιεσμένον; ἰδοὺ οἱ τὰ μαλακὰ φοροῦντες ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν βασιλέων εἰσίν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• went ye outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• for to seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• A manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• clothedἀμφιέννυμιamphiennumi · to clotheG294
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• softμαλακόςmalakos · soft/effeminateG3120
• raimentἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
• they thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• wearφορέωphoreō · to wearG5409
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• kings’βασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• housesοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624

Cross-references for Matthew 11:8

• Matthew 3:4John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.
• 2 Kings 1:8They replied, “He was a hairy man, and he wore a leather belt around his waist.” “Elijah from Tishbe!” the king exclaimed.
• Isaiah 20:2the Lord told Isaiah son of Amoz, “Take off the burlap you have been wearing, and remove your sandals.” Isaiah did as he was told and walked around naked and barefoot.
• Zechariah 13:4“On that day people will be ashamed to claim the prophetic gift. No one will pretend to be a prophet by wearing prophet’s clothes.
• 1 Corinthians 4:11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.
• 2 Corinthians 11:27I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
• Revelation 11:3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”

Commentaries on Matthew 11:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8A man clothed in soft raiment? - A second excellency in John was, his sober and mortified life. A preacher of the Gospel should have nothing about him which savours of effeminacy and worldly pomp: he is awfully mistaken who thinks to prevail on the world to hear him and receive the truth, by conforming himself to its fashions and manners. Excepting the mere color of his clothes, we can scarcely now distinguish a preacher of the Gospel, whether in the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Clothed in soft raiment - The kind of raiment here denoted was the light, thin clothing worn by effeminate persons. It was made commonly of fine linen, and was worn chiefly for ornament. Christ asks them whether they were attracted by anything like that. He says that the desert was not the place to expect it. In the palaces of kings, in the court of Herod, it might be expected, but not in the place where John was. This kind of clothing was an emblem of…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. 2-19This section starts with John the Baptist’s doubt. It ends by honoring his faith and his work (Matthew 11:7–19). The people's rejection of John (11:16–19) hints at their future rejection of Jesus.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 11:8

• Jesus, the Christ
• John

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