Luke 7:24
What does Luke 7:24 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 7:24 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 7:24 means
After John's messengers departed, Jesus turned His attention to the crowds, beginning to speak about John himself. He challenged them to consider why they went out to see John in the wilderness, asking if it was merely to see 'a reed shaken with the wind.' This rhetorical question suggested that John was not fickle or easily swayed, but firm in principle and witness, preparing the audience for Jesus' high praise of John.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when the men who were sent by John had gone away, he said to the people, about John, What did you go out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And the messengers of John having gone away, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: `What have ye gone forth to the wilderness to look on? a reed by the wind shaken?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the messengers of John having departed, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken by the wind?
Context
This verse marks a transition, as Jesus shifts from answering John's query to praising John before the people. It immediately follows the departure of John's messengers, setting the stage for Jesus' public commendation of John and clarifying John's significant role in salvation history for the listening multitude.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Peter 3:17
Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness.
- Luke 1:80
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.
- 2 Peter 2:17
These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.
- Ephesians 4:14
that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
- Matthew 11:7
And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
- 2 Corinthians 1:17
When I therefore was thus minded, did I show fickleness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and the nay nay?
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