Matthew 11:9

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.

Parallel Translations

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

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

King James Version
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and 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
So why 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 tell you, and one [more eminent, more remarkable, and] far more than a prophet [who foretells the future].

Geneva Bible (1587)
But what went ye out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say vnto you, and more then a Prophet.

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

Legacy Standard Bible
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is 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.

Contemporary English Version
What did you really go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was. I tell you that he was more than a prophet.

Complete Jewish Bible
Nu, so why 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 more than a prophet:

George Lamsa Translation
And if not so, What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell 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 why 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, and one more excellent than a prophet.

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

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

Hebrew Names Version
But why 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!Matthew 14:5; 21:26; Luke 1:76; 7:26;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And if not, what went you forth to see ? a prophet ? I tell you, Yes; and more than a prophet.

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

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

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

World English Bible
But why 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 more than a prophet.

Weymouth's New Testament
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But what thing wenten ye out to se? a prophete? Yhe, Y seie to you, and more than a prophete.

Update Bible Version
But why 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 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
What did you go out 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 why went ye forth? A prophet, to see? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

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

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

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But what wet ye oute for to se? A prophete? Ye I saye to you and more the a prophete.

Young's Literal Translation
`But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But what are ye gone out for to se? A prophet? Yee I saye vnto you, and more the a prophet.

Mace New Testament (1729)
or did you go to see a prophet? yes, and be assured, one superiour to a prophet.

Simplified Cowboy Version
If you went out there lookin' for a prophet, then you sure enough found him. But John was more than just a prophet,

Contextual Overview

⁷ When John's followers left, Jesus began talking to the people about John. He said, "What did you people go out to the desert to see? Someone who is weak, like a stem of grass blowing in the wind? ⁸ Really, what did you expect to see? Someone dressed in fine clothes? Of course not. People who wear fine clothes are all in kings' palaces. ⁹ So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet. But I tell you, he is more than that. ¹⁰ This Scripture was written about him: ‘Listen! I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.' ¹¹ "The truth is that John the Baptizer is greater than anyone who has ever come into this world. But even the least important person in God's kingdom is greater than John. ¹² Since the time John the Baptizer came until now, God's kingdom has been going forward strongly. And people have been trying to take control of it by force. ¹³ Before John came, the Law of Moses and all the prophets told about the things that would happen. ¹⁴ And if you believe what they said, then John is Elijah. He is the one they said would come. ¹⁵ You people who hear me, listen!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A prophet: Matthew 11:13, Matthew 11:14, Matthew 14:5, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 17:13, Matthew 21:24-26, Mark 9:11-13, Luke 1:15-17, Luke 1:76

Reciprocal: Numbers 12:7 - My servant Zechariah 13:4 - wear Luke 7:26 - General Luke 16:16 - Law John 1:21 - Art thou that 1 Timothy 6:1 - servants James 2:2 - goodly

Cross-References

Genesis 10:5
All the people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea came from these sons of Japheth. The people separated and went to different countries according to languages, families, and nations.

Genesis 10:10
Nimrod's kingdom spread from Babylon to Erech, to Akkad, and then to Calneh in the land of Babylonia.

Genesis 10:20
All these people were descendants of Ham. They are arranged by families, languages, countries, and nations.

Genesis 10:25
Eber was the father of two sons. One son was named Peleg. He was given this name because the earth was divided during his life. The other son was named Joktan.

Genesis 11:1
There was a time when the whole world spoke one language. Everyone used the same words.

Genesis 11:14
After Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber was born.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took his family and left Ur of Babylonia. They planned to travel to Canaan. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram's wife). They traveled to the city of Haran and decided to stay there.

Genesis 11:32
Terah lived to be 205 years old. He died in Haran.

Acts 17:26
God began by making one man, and from him he made all the different people who live everywhere in the world. He decided exactly when and where they would live.

1 Corinthians 14:23
Suppose the whole church meets together and you all speak in different languages. If some people come in who are without understanding or don't believe, they will say you are crazy.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But what went ye out for to see?.... Since it was not any thing so mean as a shaking reed, or so grand as a man in gay clothing, pray what was it you went out to see?

A prophet? This was the truth of the matter, they expected to see a prophet, and they believed he was one; this was the common voice of the people; all held John to be a prophet. This made Herod afraid to put him to death, and the Pharisees to speak against his baptism: now, though this was giving him a great character, to believe and own him to be a prophet, yet it did not come up to his full character.

Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet; when they saw him, they saw not only a prophet, but one that was greater, and more excellent than any of the prophets that went before him: they prophesied of the Messiah at a distance, and in words not so clear, and easy to be understood; they spoke of him as to come, but he pointed him out with his finger, and declared that he was come; he saw him himself, and showed him to others; he saw the Spirit of God descending on him, and he himself baptized him; his office, as the harbinger of Christ, and the administrator of the ordinance of baptism to him, gave him a preference to all the prophets; and was such an one, as never any man was vested with but himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A prophet? - He next asks whether they went to see a prophet. They had regarded him as such, and Jesus tells them that in this their apprehensions of him were correct.

More than a prophet - Sustaining a character more elevated and sacred than the most distinguished of the ancient prophets. Those had been regarded as the most eminent of the prophets who had most clearly predicted the Messiah. Isaiah had been distinguished above all others for the sublimity of his writings, and the clearness with which he had foretold the coming of Christ. Yet John surpassed even him. He lived in the time of the Messiah himself. He predicted his coming with still more clarity. He was the instrument of introducing him to the nation. He was, therefore, first among the prophets.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 11:9. A prophet? yea - and more than a prophet — That is, one more excellent (περισσοτερον) than a prophet; one greatly beyond all who had come before him, being the immediate forerunner of Christ, (see below,) and who was especially commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord. This was a fourth excellency: he was a prophet, a teacher, a man divinely commissioned to point out Jesus and his salvation; and more excellent than any of the old prophets, because he not only pointed out this Christ, but saw him, and had the honour of dying for that sacred truth which he steadily believed and boldly proclaimed.