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Luke 7:28

For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

KJV

λέγω ὑμῖν, μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν προφήτης Ἰωάννου οὐδείς ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.

Greek NT

Dico enim vobis : major inter natos mulierum propheta Joanne Baptista nemo est : qui autem minor est in regno Dei, major est illo.

Vulgate

I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

ASV

For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of men, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

16 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
βασιλεία
basileia
noun · 162×
γεννητός
gennetos
adjective · 2×
γυνή
gune
noun · 219×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
θεός
theos
noun · 1311×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μέγας
megas
adjective · 244×
μικρός
mikros
adjective · 42×
οὐδείς
oudeis
adjective · 235×
προφήτης
prophetes
noun · 145×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
Ἰωάννης
ioannes
noun · 134×
o
article · 19778×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×

Textual variants

2 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: λέγω | WH/Treg/NIV: λέγω | RP: + γὰρ
  • λέγωSBLGNT
  • λέγωWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + γὰρRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
notable
SBLGNT: Ἰωάννου | WH/NIV: Ἰωάννου | Treg: προφήτης Ἰωάννου | RP: προφήτης Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
  • ἸωάννουSBLGNT
  • ἸωάννουWestcott-Hort, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • προφήτης ἸωάννουTregelles
  • προφήτης Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

2 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§545Jesus invites sinners to the table of the kingdom: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."258 He invites them to that conversion without which one cannot enter the kingdom, but shows them in word and deed his Father's boundless mercy for them and the vast "joy in heaven over one sinner who repents".259 The supreme proof of his love will be the sacrifice of his own life…

Cross-references

  • 1Pet 1:10 — Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
  • Col 1:25 — Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
  • Eph 3:8 — Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
  • Heb 11:39 — And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
  • Luke 1:15 — For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
  • Luke 3:16 — John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost an
  • Luke 9:48 — And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
  • Luke 10:23 — And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
  • Matt 11:11 — Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
  • Matt 11:11 — Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
  • Matt 13:16 — But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
  • Matt 21:25 — The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?