Luke 12:56

New American Standard Bible (1995)

"You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Hypocrites!

King James Version (1611)
Ye hypocrites, ye can discerne the face of the skie, and of the earth: but how is it that yee doe not discerne this time?

King James Version
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

English Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

New American Standard Bible
"You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to analyze this present time?

New Century Version
Hypocrites! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don't you understand what is happening now?

Amplified Bible
"You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders)! You know how to analyze and intelligently interpret the appearance of the earth and sky [to forecast the weather], but why do you not intelligently interpret this present time?

Legacy Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to examine the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not examine this present time?

Berean Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don't you know how to interpret the present time?

Contemporary English Version
Are you trying to fool someone? You can predict the weather by looking at the earth and sky, but you don't really know what's going on right now.

Complete Jewish Bible
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky — how is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?

Darby Translation
Hypocrites, ye know how to judge of the appearance of the earth and of the heaven; how [is it then that] ye do not discern this time?

Easy-to-Read Version
You hypocrites! You can understand the weather. Why don't you understand what is happening now?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Hypocrites, ye can discerne the face of the earth, and of the skie: but why discerne ye not this time?

George Lamsa Translation
O you hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the earth and of the sky; how then is it that you do not discern this time?

Good News Translation
Hypocrites! You can look at the earth and the sky and predict the weather; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time?

Lexham English Bible
Hypocrites! You know how to evaluate the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it you do not know how to evaluate this present time?

Literal Translation
Hypocrites! You know to discern the face of the earth and of the heaven, but how is it you do not discern this time?

American Standard Version
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

Bible in Basic English
O false ones! the face of the earth and the heaven is clear to you; how is it that the signs of these times are not as clear to you?

Hebrew Names Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the eretz and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?

International Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, yet you don't know how to interpret the present time?"

Etheridge Translation
You hypocrites, the aspect of the sky and of the earth you know to distinguish; but this Time how do you not distinguish?

Murdock Translation
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to distinguish the aspect of the heavens and the earth; and why can ye not distinguish the present time?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye hypocrites, ye can discerne the outwarde appearaunce of the skye, and of the earth: but howe is it that ye cannot discerne this tyme?

English Revised Version
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

World English Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the earth and of the sky: how do ye not discern this season?

Weymouth's New Testament
Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ypocritis, ye kunnen preue the face of heuene and of erthe, but hou preuen ye not this tyme.

Update Bible Version
You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that you don't know how to interpret this time?

Webster's Bible Translation
[Ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?

New English Translation
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?

New King James Version
Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

New Living Translation
You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don't know how to interpret the present times.

New Life Bible
You who pretend to be someone you are not, you know all about the sky and the earth. But why do you not know what is happening these days?

New Revised Standard
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hypocrites! the face of the earth and of the heaven, ye know how to scan; but, this season, how know ye not to scan;

Douay-Rheims Bible
You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?

Revised Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ypocrites ye can skyll of the fassion of the erth and of the skye: but what is ye cause that ye canot skyll of this time?

Young's Literal Translation
hypocrites! the face of the earth and of the heaven ye have known to make proof of, but this time -- how do ye not make proof of [it]?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
O ye ypocrytes, ye can discerne the fashion of the skye and of the earth: Why can ye not discerne this tyme also?

Mace New Testament (1729)
Hypocrites, you can judge of the phoenomena of the earth, and of the sky, but why can't you discern the present times?

Simplified Cowboy Version
So how can you be so foolish as to not see what is happening right here in front of you? You can see the signs and make accurate predictions, but in this instance, you are all as blind as bats.

Contextual Overview

⁵⁴ And He was also saying to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out. ⁵⁵ "And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way. ⁵⁶ "You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?⁵⁷ "And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? ⁵⁸ "For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ "I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye can: 1 Chronicles 12:32, Matthew 11:25, Matthew 16:3, Matthew 24:32, Matthew 24:33

that: Luke 19:42-44, Daniel 9:24-26, Haggai 2:7, Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:2, Acts 3:24-26, Galatians 4:4

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 8:5 - a wise Matthew 6:2 - as Matthew 7:5 - Thou hypocrite Matthew 16:11 - General Luke 12:1 - which John 14:9 - how

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye hypocrites,.... A word often used of the Scribes and Pharisees, and which suggests, that there were such in company, to whom Christ more especially directs his discourse; and this may be the rather thought, since much the like things are said by him to the Pharisees, with the Sadducees, in Matthew 16:1 and the same appellation is given them there, as here:

ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; from the appearance of the sky, they could tell how it would be with the earth, and the inhabitants of it, whether they should have dry or wet weather, heat or cold:

but how is it that ye do not discern this time? that this is the time of the Messiah's coming, and that it is the accepted time, and day of salvation, if ye receive him, and believe in him; and a time of vengeance, if ye reject him: this might have been discerned by the prophecies of the Old Testament, which fix the characters of the Messiah, and the time of his coming; and describe the manners of the men of that generation, in which he should come: and point out both their happiness and their ruin; as also by the doctrines they heard Christ preach, and especially by the miracles which were wrought by him, it might have been known he was come.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 16:2-3.

South wind - To the south and southwest of Judea were situated Arabia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, all warm or hot regions, and consequently the air that came from those quarters was greatly heated.

How is it that ye do not discern this time! - You see a cloud rise, and predict a shower; a south wind, and expect heat. These are regular events. So you see my miracles; you hear my preaching; you have the predictions of me in the prophets; why do you not, in like manner, infer that “this is the time” when the Messiah should appear?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 12:56. This time? — Can ye not discover from the writings of the prophets, and from the events which now take place, that this is the time of the Messiah, and that I am the very person foretold by them?