Luke 7:20

King James Version

When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

King James Version (1611)
When the men were come vnto him, they said, Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee, saying, Art thou hee that should come, or looke we for another?

English Standard Version
And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"

New American Standard Bible
When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, 'Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?'"

New Century Version
When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the One who is to come, or should we wait for someone else?'"

Amplified Bible
So the men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, 'Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, 'Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?'"

Legacy Standard Bible
When the men came to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?'"

Berean Standard Bible
When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?'"

Contemporary English Version
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?'"

Complete Jewish Bible
When the men came to him, they said, "Yochanan the Immerser has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come? Or should we keep looking — for someone else?'"

Darby Translation
But the men having come to him said, John the baptist has sent us to thee, saying, Art *thou* he that is coming, or are we to wait for another?

Easy-to-Read Version
So the men came to Jesus. They said, "John the Baptizer sent us to you with this question: ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we wait for someone else?'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the men were come vnto him, they said, Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee, saying, Art thou hee that should come, or shall we waite for another?

George Lamsa Translation
And they came to Jesus and said to him, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you the one who is to come? or are we to expect another one?

Good News Translation
When they came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Lexham English Bible
And when the men came to him, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

Literal Translation
And having come to Him, the men said, John the Baptist sent us to You, saying, Are You the One coming, or should we expect another?

American Standard Version
And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?

Bible in Basic English
And when the men came to him they said, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?

Hebrew Names Version
When the men had come to him, they said, "Yochanan the immerser has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?'"

International Standard Version
When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'"

Etheridge Translation
and sent them to Jeshu, saying, Art thou He who cometh ! or another should we expect ?

Murdock Translation
And they came to Jesus, and said to him: John the Baptizer hath sent us to thee, and saith: Art thou he that cometh, or shall we look for another?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
When the men were come vnto hym, they sayde, Iohn Baptiste sent vs vnto thee, saying: Art thou he that shoulde come, or shall we loke for another?

English Revised Version
And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?

World English Bible
When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?'"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the men being come to him, said, John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying, Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?

Weymouth's New Testament
The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: `Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the men cam to hym, thei seiden, Joon Baptist sente vs to thee, and seide, Art thou he that is to come, or we abiden anothir?

Update Bible Version
And when the men had come to him, they said, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you he that comes, or do we look for another?

Webster's Bible Translation
When the men had come to him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

New English Translation
When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

New King James Version
When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"'

New Living Translation
John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'"

New Life Bible
The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One Who is to come? Or are we to look for another?'"

New Revised Standard
When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?'"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, coming near unto him, the men said - John the Immerser, hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art, thou, the Coming One, or, another, are we to expect?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come? Or look we for another?

Revised Standard Version
And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When the men were come vnto him they sayde: Iohn baptiste sent vs vnto ye sayinge: Arte thou he that shall come: or shall we wayte for another?

Young's Literal Translation
And having come near to him, the men said, `John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan the men came to him, they sayde: Ihon ye baptist hath sent vs vnto the, sayenge: Art thou he that shal come, or shal we loke for another?

Mace New Testament (1729)
accordingly they came to Jesus, and said, John the Baptist sent us to enquire, if you are he that was to come, or must we look for another?

THE MESSAGE
The men showed up before Jesus and said, "John the Baptizer sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?'"

Simplified Cowboy Version
When the men found Jesus they said, "John the Baptizer sent us to ask if you are the Top Hand or is it someone else?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ²⁰ When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? ²¹ And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. ²² Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³ And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. ²⁴ And 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? ²⁵ But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. ²⁶ But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. ²⁸ For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Isaiah 35:5 - the ears Malachi 3:1 - and John 11:27 - which Acts 2:22 - a man Acts 26:7 - hope

Cross-References

Psalms 104:6
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Jeremiah 3:23
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When the men were come to him,.... To Jesus; "those two men", as the Arabic version reads; "the disciples", as the Persic version; the same that John sent from the castle of Machaerus, where he was now a prisoner, to Christ, who was teaching in some city or town of Galilee:

they said, John the Baptist; so well known by his being the administrator of the ordinance of baptism:

hath sent us unto thee, saying, art thou he that should come, or look we for another? :-.

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.