Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Parallel translations
- WEB You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?
- BSB You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
- NKJV Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
- NASB You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to analyze this present time?
- NLT You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.
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
Jesus calls them hypocrites for reading the sky but not discerning the present time. They culpably ignore the significance of His coming.
Overview
The crowds can interpret the weather yet fail to recognize the momentous time of salvation arriving in Jesus. This blindness is not innocent but a moral failure, a refusal to see what God is plainly doing. Jesus presses them to perceive that in Him the decisive hour of God's kingdom has dawned, demanding response.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 16:3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
- Matt 24:32–33Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
- Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
- Luke 19:42–44Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
- 1 Chr 12:32And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
- Dan 9:24–26Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
- Mal 4:2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
- Gal 4:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
- Mal 3:1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Hag 2:7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Acts 3:24–26Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:56 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.