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Matthew 11:16–17

16 But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17   ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

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Matthew 11:16–17 — The New International Version (NIV)

16 To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “ ‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not mourn.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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.

Matthew 11:16–17 — New Living Translation (NLT)

16 To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

17 We played wedding songs,

and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t mourn.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

16 But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:

We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not lament.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — New Century Version (NCV)

16 What can I say about the people of this time? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, who call out to each other,

17 We played music for you, but you did not dance;

we sang a sad song, but you did not cry.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — American Standard Version (ASV)

16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows 17 and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

Matthew 11:16–17 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

16 But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the markets, which, calling to their companions, 17 say, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced: we have mourned to you, and ye have not wailed.

Matthew 11:16–17 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

16 “How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children, 

17 ‘We played music for you, 

but you didn’t dance. 

We sang a funeral song, 

but you didn’t show any sadness.’ 

Matthew 11:16–17 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

16 To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to each other:

17 We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!

Matthew 11:16–17 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

17 We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, 17 saying,

‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;

we sang a lament and you did not mourn.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

16 “What can I compare today’s people to? They are like children sitting in the market places and calling out to others. They say,

17 “ ‘We played the flute for you.

But you didn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song.

But you didn’t become sad.’

Matthew 11:16–17 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

16 But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children,

17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’


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