Luke 5:33

Easy-to-Read Version

They said to Jesus, "John's followers often fast and pray, the same as the followers of the Pharisees. But your followers eat and drink all the time."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then they said to him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but yours eat and drink.”

King James Version (1611)
And they said vnto him, Why doe the disciples of Iohn fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees: but thine eat and drinke?

King James Version
And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

English Standard Version
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."

New American Standard Bible
And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink."

New Century Version
They said to Jesus, "John's followers often fast for a certain time and pray, just as the Pharisees do. But your followers eat and drink all the time."

Amplified Bible
Then they said to Him, "The disciples of John [the Baptist] often practice fasting and offer prayers [of special petition], and so do the disciples of the Pharisees; but Yours eat and drink."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink."

Legacy Standard Bible
And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink."

Berean Standard Bible
Then they said to Him, "John's disciples and those of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, but Yours keep on eating and drinking."

Contemporary English Version
Some people said to Jesus, "John's followers often pray and go without eating, and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your disciples never go without eating or drinking."

Complete Jewish Bible
Next they said to him, "Yochanan's talmidim are always fasting and davvening, and likewise the talmidim of the P'rushim; but yours go on eating and drinking."

Darby Translation
And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make supplications, in like manner those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then they said vnto him, Why do the disciples of Iohn fast often, & pray, & the disciples of the Pharises also, but thine eate and drinke?

George Lamsa Translation
They said to him, Why do the disciples of John always fast and pray, and also those of the Pharisees; but yours eat and drink?

Good News Translation
Some people said to Jesus, "The disciples of John fast frequently and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but your disciples eat and drink."

Lexham English Bible
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and make prayers—likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees—but yours are eating and drinking!"

Literal Translation
But they said to Him, Why do John's disciples fast often, and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but those close to You eat and drink?

American Standard Version
And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.

Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, The disciples of John frequently go without food, and make prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees; but your disciples take food and drink.

Hebrew Names Version
They said to him, "Why do Yochanan's talmidim often fast and pray, likewise also the talmidim of the Perushim, but yours eat and drink?"

International Standard Version
Then they said to him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do those of the Pharisees. But your disciplesyours">[fn] keep right on eating and drinking."Matthew 9:14; Mark 2:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But they say to him, Why do the disciples of Juchanon constantly [fn] fast, and pray also as the Pharishee, but thine eat and drink ?

Murdock Translation
And they said to him: Why do the disciples of John fast often, and pray, and also [fn] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they sayde vnto hym: Why do the disciples of Iohn fast often, & pray, and the disciples of the pharisees also: but thyne eate and drynke?

English Revised Version
And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.

World English Bible
They said to him, "Why do John's disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John, and likewise of the Pharisees, fast often and make prayers; but thine eat and drink?

Weymouth's New Testament
Again they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and pray, as do also those of the pharisees; but yours eat and drink."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei seiden to hym, Whi the disciplis of Joon fasten ofte, and maken preieris, also and of Farisees, but thine eten and drynken?

Update Bible Version
And they said to him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the [disciples] of the Pharisees; but yours eat and drink.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise [the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

New English Translation
Then they said to him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink."

New King James Version
Then they said to Him, "Why do [fn] the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?"

New Living Translation
One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?"

New Life Bible
They asked Jesus, "Why do the followers of John and of the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers keep on eating and drinking?"

New Revised Standard
Then they said to him, "John's disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, they, said unto him - The disciples of John, do fast much, and, supplications, do make, - likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but, thine, do eat and drink!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said to him: Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees in like manner; but thine eat and drink?

Revised Standard Version
And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then they sayde vnto him: Why do the disciples of Iohn fast often and praye and the disciples of ye Pharises also: and thine eate and drinke?

Young's Literal Translation
And they said unto him, `Wherefore do the disciples of John fast often, and make supplications -- in like manner also those of the Pharisees -- but thine do eat and drink?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But they sayde vnto him: Wherfore fast ye disciples of Iho so of, & praye so moch, & the disciples of the Pharises likewyse, but yi disciples eate and drynke?

Mace New Testament (1729)
and likewise those of the Pharisees, are frequently fasting and praying, while yours are employed in eating and drinking?

THE MESSAGE
They asked him, "John's disciples are well-known for keeping fasts and saying prayers. Also the Pharisees. But you seem to spend most of your time at parties. Why?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
One day some people asked Jesus, "John the Baptist's boys are always fasting and praying just like the Pharisees students. Why then are your cowboys always eating, drinking, and smiling?"

Contextual Overview

²⁷ After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector sitting at his place for collecting taxes. His name was Levi. Jesus said to him, "Follow me!" ²⁸ Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. ²⁹ Then Levi gave a big dinner at his house for Jesus. At the table there were many tax collectors and some other people too. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and those who taught the law for the Pharisees began to complain to the followers of Jesus, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinners?" ³¹ Jesus answered them, "It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. ³² I have not come to ask good people to change. I have come to ask sinners to change the way they live." ³³ They said to Jesus, "John's followers often fast and pray, the same as the followers of the Pharisees. But your followers eat and drink all the time." ³⁴ Jesus said to them, "At a wedding you can't ask the friends of the bridegroom to be sad and fast while he is still with them. ³⁵ But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then his friends will fast." ³⁶ Jesus told them this story: "No one takes cloth off a new coat to cover a hole in an old coat. That would ruin the new coat, and the cloth from the new coat would not be the same as the old cloth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Why: Luke 18:12, Isaiah 58:3-6, Zechariah 7:6, Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22

and make: Luke 11:1, Luke 20:47, Proverbs 28:9, Isaiah 1:15, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:6, Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40, Acts 9:11, Romans 10:2, Romans 10:3

but: Luke 7:34, Luke 7:35

Reciprocal: Luke 6:2 - Why

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they say unto him,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, or the disciples of John; see Matthew 9:14

why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers? set times apart frequently for fasting and prayer. The Ethiopic version reads, "why do the disciples of John baptize frequently, fast, and make prayers?" in which the former clause is added; and as without any authority, so without judgment, since it must suppose that the Pharisees did so likewise, whereas they rejected the baptism of John; for it follows, and "likewise" the disciples of "the Pharisees"; who fasted often, at least twice in the week, and made frequent prayers in the synagogues, and corners of the streets, and in widows' houses.

But thine eat and drink? instead of fasting and praying;

Matthew 9:14- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage illustrated in the notes at Matthew 9:14-17.

Luke 5:39

Having drunk old wine ... - Wine increases its strength and flavor, and its mildness and mellowness, by age, and the old is therefore preferable. They who had tasted such mild and mellow wine would not readily drink the comparatively sour and astringent juice of the grape as it came from the press. The meaning of this proverb in this place seems to be this: You Pharisees wish to draw my disciples to the “austere” and “rigid” duties of the ceremonial law - to fasting and painful rites; but they have come under a milder system. They have tasted the gentle and tender blessings of the gospel; they have no “relish” for your stern and harsh requirements. To insist now on their observing them would be like telling a man who had tasted of good, ripe, and mild wine to partake of that which is sour and unpalatable. At the proper time all the sterner duties of religion will be properly regarded; but “at present,” to teach them to fast when they see “no occasion” for it - when they are full of joy at the presence of their Master - would be like putting a piece of new cloth on an old garment, or new wine into old bottles, or drinking unpleasant wine after one had tasted that which was more pleasant. It would be ill-timed, inappropriate, and incongruous.