But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
- KJV But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
- NKJV But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
- NASB But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, since they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
- NLT But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.”
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
They also fear that denying John's prophetic call would provoke the people to stone them. Public opinion, not truth, governs their reply.
Overview
The leaders recognize that the people firmly regarded John as a prophet, so they dare not contradict that conviction. Their fear of the crowd, set beside their refusal to confess the truth, lays bare their hypocrisy. They are bound by political calculation rather than by reverence for God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 21:26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
- Matt 11:9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Acts 5:26At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.
- Matt 26:5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- Mark 12:12At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.
- Luke 7:26–29What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
- Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
- Matt 14:5Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
- John 10:41Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”
- Matt 21:46Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
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 20:6 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
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