When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Parallel translations
- WEB When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- KJV 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?
- BSB After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
- NKJV When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- NLT After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind?
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
After John's messengers leave, Jesus questions the crowd about why they went to see John, asking if they sought a wavering reed. He begins to commend John's steadfast character.
Overview
Jesus turns to vindicate John before the crowd, lest his question be misread as weakness. A reed shaken by wind pictures instability, which John was not. By affirming John publicly, Jesus honors the forerunner whose ministry prepared the way for Him, the Messiah whose coming John faithfully announced.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Eph 4:14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
- John 1:23He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
- Luke 3:2in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
- Luke 1:80The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
- Jas 1:6–8But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
- 2 Pet 3:17You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.
- 2 Cor 1:17–20When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”
- Matt 3:1–5In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
- 2 Pet 2:17These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.
- Mark 1:4–5John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
- Matt 11:7–8As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- Gen 49:4Boiling over like water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.
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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.
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Original language
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