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the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Weymouth New Testament

Matthew 11:9

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   John;   The Topic Concordance - John the Baptist;   Sending and Those Sent;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jesus Christ;   Nahum, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Holman Bible Dictionary - John;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Messiah;   Mss;   Prophet;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Attributes of Christ;   Dates (2);   Discourse;   Divinity of Christ;   John the Baptist;   Logia;   Pre-Eminence ;   Promise (2);   Toleration, Tolerance;   Winter ;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - John, the Baptize;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christ, Offices of;   John the Baptist;   Ministry;   Preacher;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   John the Baptist;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
King James Version (1611)
But what went ye out for to see? A Prophet? yea, I say vnto you, and more then a Prophet.
King James Version
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
English Standard Version
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
New American Standard Bible
"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.
New Century Version
So why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, and I tell you, John is more than a prophet.
Amplified Bible
"But what did you [really] go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one [more eminent, more remarkable, and] far more than a prophet [who foretells the future].
Geneva Bible (1587)
But what went ye out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say vnto you, and more then a Prophet.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.
Legacy Standard Bible
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.
Berean Standard Bible
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Contemporary English Version
What did you really go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was. I tell you that he was more than a prophet.
Complete Jewish Bible
Nu, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he's much more than a prophet.
Darby Translation
But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet:
Easy-to-Read Version
So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, John is a prophet. But I tell you, he is more than that.
George Lamsa Translation
And if not so, What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
Good News Translation
Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet.
Lexham English Bible
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!
Literal Translation
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet.
American Standard Version
But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
Bible in Basic English
But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
Hebrew Names Version
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
International Standard Version
Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!Matthew 14:5; 21:26; Luke 1:76; 7:26;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And if not, what went you forth to see ? a prophet ? I tell you, Yes; and more than a prophet.
Murdock Translation
And if not; what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, say I to you, and more than a prophet.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But what went ye out for to see? A prophete? yea I say vnto you, and more then a prophete.
English Revised Version
But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
World English Bible
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But what thing wenten ye out to se? a prophete? Yhe, Y seie to you, and more than a prophete.
Update Bible Version
But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.
Webster's Bible Translation
But what went ye out to see? A prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
New English Translation
What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
New King James Version
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
New Living Translation
Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet.
New Life Bible
What did you go out to see? One who speaks for God? Yes, I tell you, he is more than one who speaks for God.
New Revised Standard
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But why went ye forth? A prophet, to see? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Revised Standard Version
Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But what wet ye oute for to se? A prophete? Ye I saye to you and more the a prophete.
Young's Literal Translation
`But what went ye out to see? -- a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But what are ye gone out for to se? A prophet? Yee I saye vnto you, and more the a prophet.
Mace New Testament (1729)
or did you go to see a prophet? yes, and be assured, one superiour to a prophet.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If you went out there lookin' for a prophet, then you sure enough found him. But John was more than just a prophet,

Contextual Overview

7 When the messengers had taken their leave, Jesus proceeded to say to the multitude concerning John, "What did you go out into the Desert to gaze at? A reed waving in the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man luxuriously dressed? Those who wear luxurious clothes are to be found in kings' palaces. 9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, "`See I am sending My messenger before Thy face, and he will make Thy road ready before Thee.' 11 "I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he. 12 But from the time of John the Baptist till now, the Kingdom of the Heavens has been suffering violent assault, and the violent have been seizing it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law taught until John. 14 And (if you are willing to receive it) he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Listen, every one who has ears!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A prophet: Matthew 11:13, Matthew 11:14, Matthew 14:5, Matthew 17:12, Matthew 17:13, Matthew 21:24-26, Mark 9:11-13, Luke 1:15-17, Luke 1:76

Reciprocal: Numbers 12:7 - My servant Zechariah 13:4 - wear Luke 7:26 - General Luke 16:16 - Law John 1:21 - Art thou that 1 Timothy 6:1 - servants James 2:2 - goodly

Cross-References

Acts 17:26
He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes;
1 Corinthians 14:23
Accordingly if the whole Church has assembled and all are speaking in `tongues,' and there come in ungifted men, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are all mad?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But what went ye out for to see?.... Since it was not any thing so mean as a shaking reed, or so grand as a man in gay clothing, pray what was it you went out to see?

A prophet? This was the truth of the matter, they expected to see a prophet, and they believed he was one; this was the common voice of the people; all held John to be a prophet. This made Herod afraid to put him to death, and the Pharisees to speak against his baptism: now, though this was giving him a great character, to believe and own him to be a prophet, yet it did not come up to his full character.

Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet; when they saw him, they saw not only a prophet, but one that was greater, and more excellent than any of the prophets that went before him: they prophesied of the Messiah at a distance, and in words not so clear, and easy to be understood; they spoke of him as to come, but he pointed him out with his finger, and declared that he was come; he saw him himself, and showed him to others; he saw the Spirit of God descending on him, and he himself baptized him; his office, as the harbinger of Christ, and the administrator of the ordinance of baptism to him, gave him a preference to all the prophets; and was such an one, as never any man was vested with but himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A prophet? - He next asks whether they went to see a prophet. They had regarded him as such, and Jesus tells them that in this their apprehensions of him were correct.

More than a prophet - Sustaining a character more elevated and sacred than the most distinguished of the ancient prophets. Those had been regarded as the most eminent of the prophets who had most clearly predicted the Messiah. Isaiah had been distinguished above all others for the sublimity of his writings, and the clearness with which he had foretold the coming of Christ. Yet John surpassed even him. He lived in the time of the Messiah himself. He predicted his coming with still more clarity. He was the instrument of introducing him to the nation. He was, therefore, first among the prophets.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 11:9. A prophet? yea - and more than a prophet — That is, one more excellent (περισσοτερον) than a prophet; one greatly beyond all who had come before him, being the immediate forerunner of Christ, (see below,) and who was especially commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord. This was a fourth excellency: he was a prophet, a teacher, a man divinely commissioned to point out Jesus and his salvation; and more excellent than any of the old prophets, because he not only pointed out this Christ, but saw him, and had the honour of dying for that sacred truth which he steadily believed and boldly proclaimed.


 
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