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And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
Luke 11:16 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven.
  • BSB And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
  • ESV while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
  • NKJV Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.
  • NASB Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.
  • NLT Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Others test Jesus by demanding a sign from heaven. They seek proof on their own terms rather than believing.

Overview

Not content with the exorcism before them, some demand a spectacular heavenly sign. Their testing reflects unbelief that will never be satisfied. Jesus will answer this demand by pointing to the sign of Jonah, ultimately his death and resurrection.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • 1 Cor 1:22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
  • John 6:30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
  • Matt 16:1–4The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
  • Matt 12:38–39Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
  • Mark 8:11–12And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 11:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.