¹²^*From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks,^j and violent men try to seize it. ¹³^*Until the time of John all the prophets and the Law of Moses spoke about the Kingdom; ¹⁴^*and if you are willing to believe their message, John is Elijah, whose coming was predicted. ¹⁵Listen, then, if you have ears!

¹⁶“Now, to what can I compare the people of this day? They are like children sitting in the market place. One group shouts to the other, ¹⁷‘We played wedding music for you, but you wouldn’t dance! We sang funeral songs, but you wouldn’t cry!’ ¹⁸When John came, he fasted and drank no wine, and everyone said, ‘He has a demon in him!’ ¹⁹When the Son of Man came, he ate and drank, and everyone said, ‘Look at this man! He is a glutton and a drinker, a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts!’ God’s wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results.”

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Footnotes

jhas suffered violent attacks; or has been coming violently.

Cross references

*11.12, 13: Lk 16:16
*11.12, 13: Lk 16:16
*11.14: Ml 4:5; Mt 17:10–13; Mk 9:11–13

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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

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

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

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 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.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

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

“ ‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. Let anyone who has ears listen.

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

We played the flute for you,

but you didn’t dance;

we sang a lament,

but you didn’t mourn!

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 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.”

NLTNew Living Translation

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

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

‘We played wedding songs,

and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t mourn.’

For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 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.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claim it. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is going to come. The one who has ears, let him hear!

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

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

we sang a lament and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 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.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 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.

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