Luke 16:16

Easy-to-Read Version

"Before John the Baptizer came, people were taught the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets. But since the time of John, the Good News about God's kingdom is being told. And everyone is trying hard to get into it.

Parallel Translations

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The lawe and the Prophetes raygned vntyll the tyme of Iohn: and sence that tyme the kyngdom of God is preached and every man stryveth to goo in.

Hebrew Names Version
The law and the prophets were until Yochanan. From that time the Good News of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

International Standard Version
"The law and the Prophets were prophesyingprophesying">[fn] until the time ofthe time of">[fn] John. Since then, the good news about the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is trying to enter it by force.Matthew 4:17; 11:12-13; Luke 7:29;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John came; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

New Century Version
"The law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were preached until John came. Since then the Good News about the kingdom of God is being told, and everyone tries to enter it by force.

Update Bible Version
The law and the prophets [were] until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man enters violently into it.

Webster's Bible Translation
The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Amplified Bible
"The Law and the [writings of the] Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God has been and continues to be preached, and everyone tries forcefully to go into it.

English Standard Version
"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.

World English Bible
The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The law and the Prophets were until John: from that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man forceth into it.

Weymouth's New Testament
The Law and the Prophets continued until John came: from that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been spreading, and all classes have been forcing their way into it.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The lawe and prophetis til to Joon; fro that tyme the rewme of God is euangelisid, and ech man doith violence in to it.

English Revised Version
The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.

Berean Standard Bible
The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Contemporary English Version
Until the time of John the Baptist, people had to obey the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets. But since God's kingdom has been preached, everyone is trying hard to get in.

American Standard Version
The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.

Bible in Basic English
The law and the prophets were till John: but then came the preaching of the kingdom of God, and everyone makes his way into it by force.

Complete Jewish Bible
Up to the time of Yochanan there were the Torah and the Prophets. Since then the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is pushing to get in.

Darby Translation
The law and the prophets [were] until John: from that time the glad tidings of the kingdom of God are announced, and every one forces his way into it.

Etheridge Translation
The law and the prophets were until Juchanon; from thenceforth the kingdom of Aloha is preached, and every one presseth to enter.

Murdock Translation
The law and the prophets were until John: since then, the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and every one presseth it to enter in.

King James Version (1611)
The law and the Prophets were vntill Iohn: since that time the kingdome of God is preached, and euery man preasseth into it.

New Living Translation
"Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.

New Life Bible
Until John came, you had the writings of the Law and of the early preachers. From that time until now the Good News of the holy nation of God has been preached. Everyone is pushing his way in.

New Revised Standard
"The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.

Geneva Bible (1587)
The Lawe and the Prophets endured vntill Iohn: and since that time the kingdome of God is preached, and euery man preasseth into it.

George Lamsa Translation
The law and prophets were until John; from that time the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone presses to enter into it.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The law and the prophets, were until John, - from that time, the good news of the kingdom of God, is being proclaimed, and, everyone, thereinto, is forcing his way.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the kingdom of God is preached: and every one useth violence towards it.

Revised Standard Version
"The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The lawe & the prophetes [raigned] vntyll Iohn, and sence that tyme, the kyngdome of God is preached, & euery man stryueth to go in.

Good News Translation
"The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were in effect up to the time of John the Baptist; since then the Good News about the Kingdom of God is being told, and everyone forces their way in.

Christian Standard Bible®
“The

King James Version
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Lexham English Bible
"The law and the prophets were until John; from that time on the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently pressed into it.

Literal Translation
The Law and the Prophets were until John; from then the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Young's Literal Translation
the law and the prophets [are] till John; since then the reign of God is proclaimed good news, and every one doth press into it;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The lawe and ye prophetes prophecied vnto Ihon, and from that tyme forth is ye kyngdome of God preached thorow ye Gospell, and euery man preasseth in to it by violence.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the law and the prophets were the only rule till John's time: since when, the kingdom of God has been proclaim'd, and all sorts of people strive to be members.

New English Translation
"The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.

New King James Version
"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Everything that was written by Moses and the other prophets was the contract to God's outfit. But ever since John the Baptizer started spreading the good news, everyone has been trying to force their way in to God's outfit.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Legacy Standard Bible
"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Contextual Overview

¹ Jesus said to his followers, "Once there was a rich man. He hired a manager to take care of his business. Later, he learned that his manager was cheating him. ² So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘I have heard bad things about you. Give me a report of what you have done with my money. You can't be my manager anymore.' ³ "So, the manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I am not strong enough to dig ditches. I am too proud to beg. ⁴ I know what I will do! I will do something to make friends, so that when I lose my job, they will welcome me into their homes.' ⁵ "So the manager called in each person who owed the master some money. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?' ⁶ He answered, ‘I owe him 100 jars of olive oil.' The manager said to him, ‘Here is your bill. Hurry! Sit down and make the bill less. Write 50 jars.' ⁷ "Then the manager asked another one, ‘How much do you owe my master?' He answered, ‘I owe him 100 measures of wheat.' Then the manager said to him, ‘Here is your bill; you can make it less. Write 80 measures.' ⁸ "Later, the master told the dishonest manager that he had done a smart thing. Yes, worldly people are smarter in their business with each other than spiritual people are. ⁹ "I tell you, use the worldly things you have now to make ‘friends' for later. Then, when those things are gone, you will be welcomed into a home that lasts forever. ¹⁰ Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Law: Luke 16:29, Luke 16:31, Matthew 11:9-14, John 1:45, Acts 3:18, Acts 3:24, Acts 3:25

the kingdom: Luke 9:2, Luke 10:9, Luke 10:11, Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Matthew 10:7, Mark 1:14

and every: Luke 7:26-29, Matthew 21:32, Mark 1:45, John 11:48, John 12:19

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:24 - but let Matthew 3:5 - General Matthew 11:12 - from Matthew 12:28 - then Matthew 17:3 - Elias Luke 17:20 - when the John 5:4 - first Acts 20:25 - preaching Acts 24:14 - in the law Philippians 3:14 - press Hebrews 4:11 - Let Revelation 22:6 - the holy

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The law and the prophets were until John,.... Till the time that John the Baptist began his ministry; for till then, the law and the prophets, with the Hagiographa, or holy writings, for into these three parts the Jews divided the books of the Old Testament, were the only writings they had; and which contained the whole of the revelation granted to them; and which they wrested, and put false glosses on; and therefore it was no wonder that they derided Christ, and despised his ministry: and whereas spiritual things were promised in these writings, under the notion of temporal ones; which they not understanding, might imagine the doctrine of Christ, concerning the contempt of worldly riches, was contrary to: and since they valued themselves on having the law and the prophets, Christ observes, that

since that time, the kingdom of God is preached; the Gospel, and the mysteries of relating to the kingdom of the Messiah, his person, office, and grace; and to the kingdom of grace, which lies not in outward, but in inward and spiritual things; and to the kingdom of heaven, or glory hereafter; and which is a superior dispensation to that of the law and the prophets, and sets things in a clearer, plainer, and better light:

and every man presseth into it; the Gospel dispensation, the kingdom of the Messiah; "that he may enter into it", as the Syriac and Persic versions add; which the Scribes and Pharisees did all they could to hinder; see Matthew 23:13 large multitudes crowded the ministry of John, of Christ, and of his apostles; the people flocked in great numbers to hear the word, and seemed disposed to embrace the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; they pressed on one another to hear it, and through many difficulties, discouragements, and obstacles, the Pharisees threw in their way; there was scarce a man but seemed very desirous of attending upon the preaching of it, and pressed hard for it; and with much force and violence, with great eagerness and endeavour broke his way to it; though a different sense is given by others reading the words, and "every one suffers violence to himself for it", as the Arabic version; or "is oppressed for it", as the Ethiopic; that is, suffers reproach, contradiction, and persecution, for the sake of hearing it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 11:12-14.

Every man - Many people, or multitudes. This is an expression that is very common, as when we say everybody is engaged in a piece of business, meaning that it occupies general attention.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 16:16. The law and the prophets were until John — The law and the prophets continued to be the sole teachers till John came, who first began to proclaim the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and now, he who wishes to be made a partaker of the blessings of that kingdom must rush speedily into it; as there will be but a short time before an utter destruction shall fall upon this ungodly race. They who wish to be saved must imitate those who take a city by storm - rush into it, without delay, as the Romans are about to do into Jerusalem. See also Clarke on "Matthew 11:12".