Luke 7:26

Contemporary English Version

What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What then did you go out to see? A prophet?

King James Version (1611)
But what went ye out for to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say vnto you, and much more then a Prophet.

King James Version
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

English Standard Version
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

New American Standard Bible
"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

New Century Version
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet.

Amplified Bible
"But what did you [really] go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one far more [eminent and remarkable] than a prophet [who foretells the future].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.

Legacy Standard Bible
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and even more than a prophet.

Berean Standard Bible
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

Complete Jewish Bible
Nu, so what did you go out to see? A prophet! Yes, and I tell you he's much more than a prophet.

Darby Translation
But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and [what is] more excellent than a prophet.

Easy-to-Read Version
So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet. But I tell you, he is more than that.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But what went ye foorth to see? A Prophet? yea, I say to you, and greater then a Prophet.

George Lamsa Translation
And if not so, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

Good News Translation
Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.

Lexham English Bible
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

Literal Translation
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, Even more than a prophet.

American Standard Version
But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

Bible in Basic English
But what did you go out to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Hebrew Names Version
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

International Standard Version
Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

Etheridge Translation
If not, what went you forth to see? a prophet ? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet:

Murdock Translation
Or if not; what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, say I to you; and more than a prophet.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But what went ye foorth to see? A prophete? Yea, I say to you, and more then a prophete.

English Revised Version
But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

World English Bible
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

Weymouth's New Testament
But what did you go out to see? A Prophet? Aye, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But what wenten ye out to se? a man clothid with softe clothis? Lo! thei that ben in precious cloth and in delicis, ben in kyngis housis. But what wenten ye out to se? a profete? Yhe, Y seie to you, and more than a profete.

Update Bible Version
But what did you go out to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

Webster's Bible Translation
But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.

New English Translation
What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

New King James Version
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

New Living Translation
Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.

New Life Bible
But what did you go to see? One who speaks for God? Yes, I tell you, he is more than one who speaks for God.

New Revised Standard
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But what went ye forth to see? A prophet? Yea! I say unto you, - and abundantly more than a prophet.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Revised Standard Version
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But what went ye forth to se? A prophete? Ye I saye to you and moare then a prophete

Young's Literal Translation
`But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet:

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Or what are ye gone out for to se? Wolde ye se a prophet? Yee I saye vnto you: one that is more the a prophet.

Mace New Testament (1729)
what then did you go to see? a prophet? yes, I say it, and more than a prophet.

Simplified Cowboy Version
So what'd you go out to see? One of God's cowboys? Yes, I'm telling you that John wasn't just one of God's cowboys, he was even more than that!

Contextual Overview

²⁰ When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?'" ²¹ At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. ²² Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. ²³ God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do." ²⁴ After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? ²⁵ What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. ²⁷ In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, "I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you." ²⁸ No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John. ²⁹ Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Matthew 11:9-14, John 3:26-30, John 5:35

A prophet: Luke 1:76, Luke 20:6

and: Luke 16:16

Reciprocal: Malachi 3:1 - I will Malachi 4:5 - I will Matthew 11:10 - General Mark 11:32 - for John 10:41 - John did

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But what went ye out for to see?.... What led your curiosity to go into the wilderness after him, since it could not be any of the above things? was it to see

a prophet? which was the case; for John was a prophet, and was known to be one; and the fame of him, as such, drew vast numbers to see and hear him, there not having been a prophet among the Jews, for some hundreds of years:

yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet; not that he was the prophet Moses did say should come; nor was he the priest that should arise with the "Urim" and "Thummim", that the "Tirshatha", Nehemiah spoke of; nor was he the king Messiah; but he was his forerunner, he saw him and baptized him, and so was greater than any of the prophets that went before him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in Matthew 11:2-19.

Luke 7:29

The people - The common people.

That heard him - That heard “John.”

The publicans - The tax-gatherers, the worst kind of people, who had, however, been converted.

Justified God - Considered God as “just” or “right” in the counsel which he gave by John - to wit, in calling people to repentance, and in denouncing future wrath on the impenitent. Compare Matthew 11:19.

Being baptized ... - They “showed” that they approved of the message of God by submitting to the ordinance which he commanded - the ordinance of baptism. This verse and the following are not to be considered as the words of “Luke,” but the continuation of the discourse of our Lord. He is saying what took place in regard to John. Among the common people he was approved and obeyed among the rich and learned he was despised.

Luke 7:30

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected ... - It appears from Matthew 3:7 that some of the Pharisees came to John to be baptized; but still this is entirely consistent with the supposition that the great mass of Pharisees and lawyers rejected him.

The counsel of God - The counsel of God toward them was the solemn admonition by John to “repent” and be baptized, and be prepared to receive the Messiah. This was the command or revealed will of God in relation to them. When it is said that they “rejected” the counsel of God, it does not mean that they could frustrate his purposes, but merely that they violated his commands. Men cannot frustrate the “real” purposes of God, but they can contemn his messages, they can violate his commands, and thus they can reject the counsel which he gives them, and treat with contempt the desire which he manifests for their welfare.

Against themselves - To their own hurt or detriment. God is wise and good. He knows what is best for us. He, therefore, that rejects what God commands, rejects it to his own injury. It “cannot” be well for any mortal to despise what God commands him to do.

Luke 7:31-35

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 11:16-19. “And the Lord said.” This clause is wanting in almost all the manuscripts, and is omitted by the best critics.