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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Luke 3:15

Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   John;   Scofield Reference Index - Repentance;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hope;   Messianic Hope;   The Topic Concordance - Baptism;   Harvest;   Hell;   Holy Spirit;   Jesus Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Genealogy;   John;   Mary;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John the baptist;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   John the Baptist;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gospels;   John the Baptist;   Son of God;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Future Hope;   John;   Luke, Gospel of;   Muse;   Ordinances;   Repentance;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John the Baptist;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Benedictus;   Heart;   Herod ;   Prophet;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Herod, Family of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Expect;   Hap;   Luke, the Gospel of;   Messiah;   Muse;   Reason;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Christianity in Its Relation to Judaism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were questioning in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.
King James Version (1611)
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of Iohn, whether he were the Christ or not:
King James Version
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
English Standard Version
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,
New American Standard Bible
Now while the people were in a state of expectation and they all were thinking carefully in their hearts about John, whether he himself perhaps was the Christ,
New Century Version
Since the people were hoping for the Christ to come, they wondered if John might be the one.
Amplified Bible
Now the people were in a state of expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ,
Berean Standard Bible
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ.
Complete Jewish Bible
The people were in a state of great expectancy, and everyone was wondering whether perhaps Yochanan himself might be the Messiah;
Darby Translation
But as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John whether *he* might be the Christ,
Easy-to-Read Version
Everyone was hoping for the Messiah to come, and they wondered about John. They thought, "Maybe he is the Messiah."
Geneva Bible (1587)
As the people waited, and all men mused in their heartes of Iohn, if he were not that Christ,
George Lamsa Translation
While the people were placing their hope on John, and all of them were thinking in their hearts, that perhaps he is the Christ;
Good News Translation
People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.
Lexham English Bible
And while the people were waiting expectantly and all were pondering in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ,
Literal Translation
But the people were expecting, and all reasoning in their hearts about John, lest perhaps he is the Christ,
American Standard Version
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
Bible in Basic English
And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not,
Hebrew Names Version
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning Yochanan, whether perhaps he was the Messiah,
International Standard Version
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all of them were wondering if John was perhaps the Christ.[fn]
Etheridge Translation
But while the people thought concerning Juchanon, and all of them reasoned in their hearts whether he were the Meshicha,
Murdock Translation
And while the people were thinking of John, and all pondered in their heart, whether he were the Messiah;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
As the people wayted, & all men mused in their heartes of Iohn, whether he were very Christe:
English Revised Version
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
World English Bible
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as the people were in expectation, and all mused in their hearts of John,
Weymouth's New Testament
And while the people were in suspense and all were debating in their minds whether John might possibly be the Anointed One,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whanne al the puple gesside, and alle men thouyten in her hertis of Joon, lest perauenture he were Crist,
Update Bible Version
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ;
Webster's Bible Translation
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts concerning John, whether he was the Christ, or not;
New English Translation
While the people were filled with anticipation and they all wondered whether perhaps John could be the Christ,
New King James Version
Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,
New Living Translation
Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah.
New Life Bible
The people were looking for something to happen. They were thinking in their hearts about John the Baptist. They wondered if he might be the Christ.
New Revised Standard
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, as the people were in expectation, and all were deliberating in their hearts, concerning John, - whether by any means, he, might be, the Christ,
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as the people were of opinion, and all were thinking in their hearts of John, that perhaps he might be the Christ:
Revised Standard Version
As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
As the people were in a doute and all men disputed in their hertes of Iohn whether he were very Christ:
Young's Literal Translation
And the people are looking forward, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether or not he may be the Christ;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan the people were in a doute, & thought all in their hertes, whether he were Christ,
Mace New Testament (1729)
As the people were in suspence, every man imagining in his own mind that John might be the Messiah;
THE MESSAGE
The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"
Simplified Cowboy Version
Everyone was jabberin' back and forth, "Is this fellow the one who will save us all?"

Contextual Overview

15 Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?" 16 John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out." 18 In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. 19 But to Herod the ruler, he said, "It was wrong for you to take Herodias, your brother's wife." John also said that Herod had done many other bad things. 20 Finally, Herod put John in jail, and this was the worst thing he had done.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

expectation: or, suspense, John 10:24

mused: or, reasoned, or debated, John 1:19-28, John 3:28, John 3:29

Reciprocal: John 1:20 - General Acts 13:25 - whom

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, "Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:3
except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die."
Genesis 3:4
"No, you won't!" the snake replied.
Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.
Genesis 3:7
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.
Genesis 3:8
Late in the afternoon a breeze began to blow, and the man and woman heard the Lord God walking in the garden. They were frightened and hid behind some trees.
Genesis 3:10
The man answered, "I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!"
Genesis 3:13
The Lord God then asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake tricked me," she answered. "And I ate some of that fruit."
Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake: "Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.
Genesis 3:15
You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as the people were in expectation, of the coming of the Messiah; Daniel's seventy weeks being now accomplished, the sceptre being departed from Judah, and the Romans having the government in their hands, from whom they hoped for a deliverance by Christ;

and all men mused in their hearts of John; whether he were the Christ, or no; about which they had many reasonings and debates: some doubting of it, others ready to believe it, from his extraordinary birth, the singular holiness of his life, the power and efficacy of his doctrine, the new ordinance he administered, the restoration of religion by him, the freedom he took in reproving the vices of men, and the apt answers he gave to the questions now put to him. And that the Messiah was born, though he was not, as yet, made manifest, they might conclude, not only from the fulfilment of several prophecies, but from the song of Zacharias, the declaration of Simeon and Anna in the temple, and of the wise men that came from the east; and John appearing in such an unusual manner, they were ready to hope that he was the person; though they did not consider that he was of the tribe of Levi, and not of Judah; from which latter the Messiah was to spring; but this might be unattended to by them, and Satan might have an hand in it to hide the true Messiah from them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In expectation - Expecting the Messiah. Margin, “suspense.” That is, they were not certain whether John was not himself the Messiah. They confidently “expected” his appearing, and there minds were in “suspense,” or they were in a state of doubt whether he had not already come, and whether John was not the Messiah.

Mused in their hearts of John - Thought of his character, his preaching, and his success, and anxiously inquired whether he did not do the things which were expected of the Messiah.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 3:15. Whether he were the Christ — So general was the reformation which was produced by the Baptist's preaching that the people were ready to consider him as the promised Messiah. Thus John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and reformed all things; showed the people, the tax-gatherers, and the soldiers, their respective duties, and persuaded them to put away the evil of their doings. Matthew 17:11; Matthew 17:11.


 
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