Luke 7:31
New International Version
Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?

New Living Translation
“To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them?

English Standard Version
“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

Berean Standard Bible
“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?

Berean Literal Bible
"To what therefore will I liken the men of this generation? And to what are they like?

King James Bible
And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

New King James Version
And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?

New American Standard Bible
“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

NASB 1995
“To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?

NASB 1977
“To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?

Legacy Standard Bible
“To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?

Amplified Bible
“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation [who set aside God’s plan], and what are they like?

Christian Standard Bible
“To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

American Standard Version
Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what are they like?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“To what therefore shall I compare the men of this generation, and what does it resemble?”

Contemporary English Version
Jesus went on to say: What are you people like? What kind of people are you?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said: Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

English Revised Version
Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what are they like?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"How can I describe the people who are living now? What are they like?

Good News Translation
Jesus continued, "Now to what can I compare the people of this day? What are they like?

International Standard Version
Jesus continued, "To what may I compare the people living today?

Literal Standard Version
And the LORD said, “To what, then, will I liken the men of this generation? And to what are they like?

Majority Standard Bible
“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?

New American Bible
“Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?

NET Bible
"To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

New Revised Standard Version
“To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

New Heart English Bible
"To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like?

Webster's Bible Translation
And the Lord said, To what then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

Weymouth New Testament
"To what then shall I compare the men of the present generation, and what do they resemble?

World English Bible
“To what then should I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?

Young's Literal Translation
And the Lord said, 'To what, then, shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Testifies about John
30But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. 31“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’…

Cross References
Matthew 7:24
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matthew 11:16
To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

Luke 7:30
But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

Luke 7:32
They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'


Treasury of Scripture

And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

Whereunto.

Lamentations 2:13
What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

Matthew 11:16
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

Mark 4:30
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

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Baptized Compare Comparison Expounders Frustrated Generation God's Liken Pharisees Purpose Refusing Whereunto
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Baptized Compare Comparison Expounders Frustrated Generation God's Liken Pharisees Purpose Refusing Whereunto
Luke 7
1. Jesus finds a greater faith in the centurion;
10. heals his servant, being absent;
11. raises from death the widow's son at Nain;
18. answers John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles;
24. testifies to the people what opinion he held of John;
31. compares this generation to the children in the marketplaces,
36. and allowing his feet to be washed and anointed by a woman who was a sinner,
44. he shows how he is a friend to sinners, to forgive them their sins, upon their repentance.














(31-35) Whereunto then shall I liken . . .--See Notes on Matthew 11:16-19. Some of the better MSS. omit the introductory words, "and the Lord said."

Verse 31. - And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? The Master evidently paused a moment here. He sought for some homely, popular simile which would drive home to the listeners' hearts his sad and solemn judgment of the conduct of the ruling Jews of this time. The generation he was then addressing had been singularly blessed with two great Divine messages - the one delivered by that eminent servant of God, John, about whom he had been speaking in such glowing, earnest terms; the other message was his own. He chose for his purpose one of those everyday scenes from the people's life, a scene which they had witnessed often, and in which, no doubt, in past days many of the by-standers themselves had taken a part - one of those child-games which the little ones in his day were wont to play in the summer evenings, and in which, likely enough, he in his boyish years had often shared in, as he played in the little market-place of Nazareth. He likened the wayward men of that generation to a group of children of the people in some open space of the city, now playing at rejoicings, such as take place at wedding festivities, now at wailings, which in Eastern countries accompany funerals; that is to say, the little group would divide itself into two companies, and one would say to the other, "Come, now we will play at a wedding; here are the pipers and the singers, do you come and dance and make merry;" but the others would not. Then the little company of would-be merrymakers would beat their breasts and cry with pretended sorrow; but the others still declined to join in the game of mourning - would not play "at a funeral," just as they refused to join in the game of "rejoicing at a wedding." To such a band of imperious little ones, who were angry if the others did not at once comply with their demands, Jesus compared the wayward and evil generation in which he and John lived. Had they not found bitter fault with John because he had declined to have anything to do with their wicked self-indulgent feasting and luxury? How often had Pharisee and scribe railed with bitter railings against Jesus because he would have nothing to do with their false and hypocritical fastings, with their pretended shrinking from what they deemed unclean and unworthy of them! Dr. Morrison puts it rightly, and forcibly: "They were dissatisfied with John, and would have nothing to do with him." If we are to have reformers, commend us to such as come near us, and visit our houses, and sit at our tables, and are sociable like ourselves.' They pretended, on the other hand, to scorn Jesus, who, while making so lofty a profession, yet went about eating and drinking in people's houses, and even in the homes of publicans and sinners. 'He should have gone into the desert and lived an abstemious life .... Commend us to ascetic men for our reformers.'" The line of interpretation which seems to us simpler and fitted to the framework of the little parable is in the main thus adopted by Meyer, Dr. W. Bleek, Bishop Wordsworth, and Dean Plumptre. "You men of this generation," writes Bishop Wordsworth, "are like a troop of wayward children, who go on with their own game, at one time gay, at another grave, and give heed to no one else, and expect that every one should conform to them. You were angry with John because he would not dance to your piping, and with me because 1 will not weep to your dirge; John censured your licentiousness, I rebuke your hypocrisy; you vilify both, and reject the good counsel of God, who has devised a variety of means for your salvation."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“To what,
Τίνι (Tini)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

then,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

can I compare
ὁμοιώσω (homoiōsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3666: To make like, liken; I compare. From homoios; to assimilate, i.e. Compare; passively, to become similar.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

men
ἀνθρώπους (anthrōpous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

of this
ταύτης (tautēs)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

generation?
γενεᾶς (geneas)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1074: From genos; a generation; by implication, an age.

What
τίνι (tini)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

are they
εἰσὶν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

like?
ὅμοιοι (homoioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3664: Like, similar to, resembling, of equal rank. From the base of homou; similar.


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NT Gospels: Luke 7:31 To what then will I liken (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 7:30
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