But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
Parallel translations
- WEB If we should say, ‘From men’” — they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet.
- BSB But if we say, ‘From men’...” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John truly was a prophet.
- NKJV But if we say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.
- NASB But should we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all considered John to have been a real prophet.
- NLT But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that 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 fear to say John was merely human because the people held him to be a true prophet.
Overview
Fear of the crowd, not love of truth, governs the leaders' calculations. They are caught between the people's high regard for John and their own refusal to believe. Their cowardly evasion reveals leaders more concerned with public opinion than with God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 21:46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
- Mark 12:12And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
- Matt 14:5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
- Luke 7:26–29But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
- Luke 20:6–8But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
- Acts 5:26Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
- Matt 11:9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
- Matt 3:5–6Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
- Matt 21:31–32Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
- Mark 6:20For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
- John 10:41And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
- Luke 22:2And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
- Luke 20:19And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 11:32 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.