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Luke 7:32

30 But 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?

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.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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.’
KJV
They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
WEB
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’
ASV
They are like unto children that sit in the marketplace, and call one to another; who say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not weep.
DARBY
They are like children sitting in the market-place, and calling one to another and saying, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
BLB
They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: ‘We played the flute for you⁺, and you⁺ did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you⁺ did not weep.’
ÅB
De ligner små barn som sitter på torvet og roper til hverandre og sier: Vi blåste på fløyte for dere, og dere ville ikke danse, vi sang sørgesanger, og dere ville ikke gråte.
OTB
De er som barn som sitter på torget og roper til hverandre:
‘Vi spilte fløyte for dere,
og dere danset ikke;
vi sang en klagesang,
og dere gråt ikke.’
B1930
De ligner små barn som sitter på torvet og roper til hverandre og sier: Vi blåste på fløite for eder, og I vilde ikke danse, vi sang sørgesanger, og I vilde ikke gråte.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Matthew 11:16–19

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

    Read in context

  • Proverbs 17:16

    Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?

    Read in context

  • Jeremiah 5:3–5

    O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 28:9–13

    Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?

    Read in context

  • Zechariah 8:5

    And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 29:11–12

    And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.”

    Read in context