Matthew 11:19

King James Version

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard,

King James Version (1611)
The sonne of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine bibber, a friend of publicanes and sinners: but wisedom is iustified of her children.

English Standard Version
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."

New American Standard Bible
"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

New Century Version
The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved to be right by what she does."

Amplified Bible
"The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, 'Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!' Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me]."

Geneva Bible (1587)
The sonne of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Beholde a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend vnto Publicanes and sinners: but wisedome is iustified of her children.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Legacy Standard Bible
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Berean Standard Bible
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and of sinners!' But wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Contemporary English Version
But the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, and you say, "That man eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners." Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.

Complete Jewish Bible
The Son of Man came, eating freely and drinking wine — so they say, ‘Aha! A glutton and a drunkard! A friend of tax-collectors and sinners!' Well, the proof of wisdom is in the actions it produces."

Darby Translation
The Son of man has come eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man [that is] eating and wine-drinking, a friend of tax-gatherers, and of sinners:—and wisdom has been justified by her children.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine. He's a friend of tax collectors and other sinners.' But wisdom is shown to be right by what it does."

George Lamsa Translation
The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they said, Behold, a glutton and a wine-bibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners. And yet wisdom is justified by its works.

Good News Translation
When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and everyone said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!' God's wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results."

Lexham English Bible
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Literal Translation
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a wine drinker, and a friend of tax collectors, and of sinners. And wisdom was justified by her children.

American Standard Version
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

Bible in Basic English
The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.

Hebrew Names Version
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

International Standard Version
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'Matthew 9:10; Luke 7:35;">[xr] Absolved from every act of sin, is wisdom by her kith and kin."[fn]

Etheridge Translation
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, See a man a devourer, a wine-drinker, a friend of tribute-takers and of sinners. But justified is wisdom by her servants.

Murdock Translation
The Son of man came, eating and drinking; and they say: Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine drinker, and a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified by her works.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The sonne of man came eatyng and drinking, and they say, behold a glutton and an [vnmeasurable] drinker of wine, and a friende vnto publicans & sinners: And wisdome is iustified of her children.

English Revised Version
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

World English Bible
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The Son of man is come eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners; but wisdom is justified by her children.

Weymouth's New Testament
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, `See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The sone of man cam etynge and drynkynge, and thei seien, Lo! a man a glotoun, and a drinkere of wijne, and a freend of pupplicans and of synful men. And wisdom is iustified of her sones.

Update Bible Version
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Look, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.

Webster's Bible Translation
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified by her children.

New English Translation
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

New King James Version
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." [fn]

New Living Translation
The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by its results."

New Life Bible
Then the Son of Man came and ate and drank. They said, ‘See! He eats too much and likes wine. He is a friend of men who gather taxes and of sinners!' But wisdom shows itself to be right by what it does."

New Revised Standard
the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The Son of Man, came, eating and drinking, and they say, Lo! a gluttonous man and a wine-drinker! a friend of, tax-collectors, and sinners! And yet wisdom hath been justified by her works.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.

Revised Standard Version
the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The sonne of man came eatinge and drinkinge and they saye beholde a glutton and drynker of wyne and a frend vnto publicas and synners. Never the later wysdome ys iustified of hir children.

Young's Literal Translation
the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo, a man, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners, and wisdom was justified of her children.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The sonne of man came eatinge and drynkinge, & they saye: lo what a glutton and wyne bebber this ma is, and a companyon of publicans & synners? And wissdome is iustified of hir children.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the son of man does not abstain from eating and drinking, and they cry there's a glutton, and a sot, a friend of publicans and sinners: "but wisdom is justified by her children."

Simplified Cowboy Version
But then I come, the Son of Man, having a beer with outlaws and whores but y'all say, 'He's a pig and a drunk and he hangs out with lowlifes.' A wise man gets results no matter what."

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, ¹⁷ And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. ¹⁹ The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. ²⁰ Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: ²¹ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. ²³ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

came: Luke 5:29, Luke 5:30, Luke 7:34, Luke 7:36, Luke 14:1, John 2:2, John 12:2-8, Romans 15:2

a friend: Matthew 9:10, Matthew 9:11, Luke 15:1, Luke 15:2, Luke 19:7

But: Psalms 92:5, Psalms 92:6, Proverbs 17:24, Luke 7:29, Luke 7:35, 1 Corinthians 1:24-29, Ephesians 3:8-10, Revelation 5:11-14, Revelation 7:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:34 - were merry Psalms 22:6 - a reproach Psalms 109:20 - them Hosea 14:9 - and the Malachi 2:17 - Every Matthew 5:22 - Whosoever Matthew 5:46 - publicans Matthew 9:14 - Why Matthew 12:32 - whosoever Matthew 18:17 - a publican Luke 2:34 - for a John 7:20 - Thou Romans 3:4 - That thou Romans 14:3 - judge Ephesians 1:8 - in Ephesians 2:2 - the children Hebrews 12:3 - contradiction

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The son of man came eating and drinking,.... Meaning himself, who ate and drank as men usually do, lived in the common way of life, was free and sociable, went to feasts, entertainments, and weddings, when he was invited; and was affable, courteous, and friendly in his deportment, to all men;

and they say, behold a man gluttonous, a voracious man, an epicurean, one that indulges his appetite to a very great degree, and in a scandalous manner;

a winebibber, a common tippler, one that drinks to excess; whom the Rabbins call k, גרגרן, who is one, they say, that drinks up his cup at one draught; one that is given to wine, and is greedy of it:

a friend of publicans and sinners; such as are openly and notoriously wicked; and loves their company, for the sake of tippling with them; and encourages them in their revelling and drunkenness; a very black charge this!

But wisdom is justified of her children; either the wisdom of God, in making use of ministers of a different disposition and deportment, whereby some are gained, and others left inexcusable: or the Gospel, in which there is such a display of divine wisdom, which is vindicated from the charge of licentiousness, by the agreeable lives and conversations of the children of God: or rather Christ himself, who is the wisdom of God; and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; who, however he may be traduced by ignorant and malicious men, yet will be acquitted from all such charges, as here insinuated, by all the true sons of wisdom; or by such, who are made wise unto salvation. We may learn from hence, that no sort of preachers and preaching will please some men; that the best of Gospel ministers may be reproached as libertines, or madmen; and that they will be sooner, or later, justified and cleared from all such aspersions.

k T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 86. 2. Betza, fol. 25. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But whereunto shall I liken ... - Christ proceeds to reprove the inconsistency and fickleness of that age of people. He says they were like children - nothing pleased them. He refers here to the “plays” or “sports” of children. Instrumental music, or piping and dancing, were used in marriages and festivals as a sign of joy. See the notes at Isaiah 5:11-12. Compare Job 21:11; 2 Samuel 6:14; Judges 11:34; Luke 15:25. Children imitate their parents and others, and act over in play what they see done by others. Among their childish sports, therefore, was probably an imitation of a wedding or festal occasion. We have seen also (the notes at Matthew 9:23) that funerals were attended with mournful music, and lamentation, and howling. It is not improbable that children also, in play: imitated a mournful funeral procession. One part are represented as sullen and dissatisfied. They would not enter into the play: nothing pleased them. The others complained of it. We have, said they, taken all pains to please you. We have piped to you, have played lively tunes, and have engaged in cheerful sports, but you would not join with us; and then we have played different games, and imitated the mourning at funerals, and you are equally sullen; “you have not lamented;” you have not joked with us. Nothing pleases you. So, said Christ, is this generation of people. “John” came one way, “neither eating nor drinking,” abstaining as a Nazarite, and you were not pleased with him. I, the Son of man, have come in a different manner, “eating and drinking;” not practicing any austerity, but living like other people, and you are equally dissatisfied - nay, you are less pleased. You calumniate him, and abuse me for not doing the very thing which displeased you in John. Nothing pleases you. You are fickle, changeable, inconstant, and abusive.

Markets - Places to sell provisions; places of concourse, where also children flocked together for play.

We have piped - We have played on musical instruments. A “pipe” was a wind instrument of music often used by shepherds.

Neither eating nor drinking - That is, abstaining from some kinds of food and wine, as a Nazarite. It does not mean that he did not eat at all, but that he was remarkable for abstinence.

He hath a devil - He is actuated by a bad spirit. He is irregular, strange, and cannot be a good man.

The Son of man came eating and drinking - That is, living as others do; not practicing austerity; and they accuse him of being fond of excess, and seeking the society of the wicked.

Gluttonous - One given to excessive eating.

Wine-bibber - One who drinks much wine. Jesus undoubtedly lived according to the general customs of the people of his time. He did not affect singularity; he did not separate himself as a Nazarite; he did not practice severe austerities. He ate that which was common and drank that which was common. As wine was a common article of beverage among the people, he drank it. It was the pure juice of the grape, and for anything that can be proved, it was without fermentation. In regard to the kind of wine which was used, see the notes at John 2:10. No one should plead the example, at any rate, in favor of making use of the wines that are commonly used in this country - wines, many of which are manufactured here, and without a particle of the pure juice of the grape, and most of which are mixed with noxious drugs to give them color and flavor.

Wisdom is justified of her children - The children of wisdom are the wise - those who understand. The Saviour means that though that generation of Pharisees and fault-finders did not appreciate the conduct of John and himself, yet the “wise,” the candid - those who understood the reasons of their conduct - would approve of and do justice to it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 11:19. The Son of man came eating and drinking — That is, went wheresoever he was invited to eat a morsel of bread, and observed no rigid fasts: how could he, who had no corrupt appetites to mortify or subdue?

They say, Behold a man gluttonous, c.] Whatever measures the followers of God may take, they will not escape the censure of the world: the best way is not to be concerned at them. Iniquity, being always ready to oppose and contradict the Divine conduct, often contradicts and exposes itself.

But wisdom is justified of her children. — Those who follow the dictates of true wisdom ever justify, point out as excellent, the holy maxims by which they are guided, for they find the way pleasantness, and the path, peace. Of, here, and in many places of our translation, ought to be written by in modern English.

Some suppose that our blessed Lord applies the epithet of η σοφια, that Wisdom to himself as he does that of Son of man, in the first clause of the verse: and that this refers to the sublime description given of wisdom in Proverbs 8:0. Others have supposed that by the children or sons (τεκνων) of wisdom our Lord means John Baptist and himself, who came to preach the doctrines of true wisdom to the people, and who were known to be teachers come from God by all those who seriously attended to their ministry: they recommending themselves, by the purity of their doctrines, and the holiness of their lives, to every man's conscience in the sight of God. It is likely, however, that by children our Lord simply means the fruits or effects of wisdom, according to the Hebrew idiom, which denominates the fruits or effects of a thing, its children. So in Job 5:7, sparks emitted by coals are termed בני רשף beney resheph, the children of the coal. It was probably this well known meaning of the word, which led the Codex Vaticanus, one of the most ancient MSS. in the world, together with the Syriac, Persic, Coptic, and Ethiopic, to read εργων, works, instead of τεκνων, sons or children. Wisdom is vindicated by her works, i.e. the good effects prove that the cause is excellent.

The children of true wisdom can justify all God's ways in their salvation; as they know that all the dispensations of Providence work together for the good of those who love and fear God. See on Luke 7:35.