Luke 7:25

King James Version

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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces.

King James Version (1611)
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and liue delicately, are in kings courts.

English Standard Version
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts.

New American Standard Bible
"But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces!

New Century Version
What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, people who have fine clothes and much wealth live in kings' palaces.

Amplified Bible
"But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing [entirely unsuited for the harsh wilderness]? Those who wear splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces!

Legacy Standard Bible
But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces!

Berean Standard Bible
Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear elegant clothing and live in luxury are found in palaces.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
No? then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? But people who dress beautifully and live in luxury are found in kings' palaces.

Darby Translation
But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in delicate garments? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and live luxuriously are in the courts of kings.

Easy-to-Read Version
Really, what did you expect to see? Someone dressed in fine clothes? Of course not. People who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are all in kings' palaces.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft rayment? beholde, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and liue delicately, are in Kings courtes.

George Lamsa Translation
If not so, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Behold, those who wear fine clothes and live delicately are in kings'' houses.

Good News Translation
What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that and live in luxury are found in palaces!

Lexham English Bible
But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and luxury are in the royal palaces.

Literal Translation
But what did you go out to see? A man who had been dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those in splendid clothing and being in luxury are in king's palaces.

American Standard Version
But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

Bible in Basic English
But what did you go out to see? a man in soft clothing? See now, those who have beautiful clothing and delicate food are in kings' houses.

Hebrew Names Version
But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

International Standard Version
Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fine clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces.

Etheridge Translation
If not, what went you forth to see ? a man clothed in soft raiment ? Behold, they who are clothed in bright vestments, and are (living) in pleasures, are in the house of kings.

Murdock Translation
Or if not; what went ye out to see? a man clad in soft raiment? Lo, they that use splendid garments and luxuries, are in kings' palaces.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft rayment? Beholde, they which are gorgeously appareled, & lyue delicately, are in kynges courtes.

English Revised Version
But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

World English Bible
But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
A reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold they that are splendidly apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings palaces.

Weymouth's New Testament
But what did you go out to see? A man wearing luxurious clothes? People who are gorgeously dressed and live in luxury are found in palaces.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What wenten ye out in to desert to se? a reed waggid with the wynd?

Update Bible Version
But what did you go out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Look, those that are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

Webster's Bible Translation
But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they who are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

New English Translation
What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings' courts!

New King James Version
But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.

New Living Translation
Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces.

New Life Bible
What did you go out to see? A man dressed in good clothes? Those who are dressed in good clothes are in the houses of kings.

New Revised Standard
What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But what went ye forth to see? A man, in soft garments, arrayed? Lo! they who in splendid apparel and luxury are found, are, in the kingly courts.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately are in the houses of kings.

Revised Standard Version
What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But what went ye out for tose? A ma clothed in soofte rayment? Beholde they which are gorgeously apparelled and lyve delicatly are in kynges courtes.

Young's Literal Translation
but what have ye gone forth to see? a man in soft garments clothed? lo, they in splendid apparellings, and living in luxury, are in the houses of kings!

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Or what are ye gone out for to se? Wolde ye se a ma clothed in soft rayment? Beholde, they that are gorgiously arayed, & lyue delycately, are in kynges courtes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
or did you go to see a man richly apparelled? for magnificent dress and splendid living, you must look into the courts of princes.

Simplified Cowboy Version
No? Then what'd you go out there to see? A man in fine britches and sterling silver covered chaps? Those types of folks live in the houses of kings.

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

A man: 2 Kings 1:8, Isaiah 59:17, Matthew 3:4, 1 Peter 3:3, 1 Peter 3:4

are in: 2 Samuel 19:35, 1 Kings 10:5, Esther 1:3, Esther 1:11, Esther 4:2, Esther 5:1, Esther 8:15, Matthew 6:29

Reciprocal: Lamentations 4:5 - that did 1 Timothy 5:6 - in pleasure Revelation 18:3 - her delicacies

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But what went you out for to see?.... If not his air and action, what was it? was it his apparel and dress? was it to see

a man clothed in soft raiment? If this was the case, their labour was in vain, and they had their walk for nothing; for John was clothed with camels' hair, rough and undressed, and was girt with a leathern girdle; there was nothing in his person, mien, and garb, that was attractive:

they which are gorgeously, apparelled; or richly clothed, as John was not:

and live delicately; in the most elegant manner, and on the richest dainties, as John did not, his food being locusts and wild honey:

are in kings' courts; and not in a wilderness, where John; came preaching.

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.