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Matthew 11:16

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

KJV

Τίνι δὲ ὁμοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην; ὁμοία ἐστὶν παιδίοις καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις

Greek NT

Cui autem similem æstimabo generationem istam ? Similis est pueris sedentibus in foro : qui clamantes coæqualibus

Vulgate

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows

ASV

But whereunto shall I esteem this generation to be like? It is like to children sitting in the market place.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

γενεά
genea
noun · 43×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
κάθημαι
kathemai
verb · 89×
οὗτος
outos
demonstrative · 1380×
παιδίον
paidion
noun · 52×
προσφωνέω
prosphoneo
verb · 7×
τίς
tis
interrogative_pronoun · 533×
ἀγορά
agora
noun · 11×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ἕτερος
eteros
adjective · 99×
o
article · 19778×
ὁμοιόω
omoioo
verb · 15×
ὅμοιος
omoios
adjective · 45×
ὅς
os
relative_pronoun · 1404×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις | WH/Treg/NIV: καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις | RP: ἐν ἀγοραῖς καθημένοις καὶ προσφωνοῦσιν τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτῶν
  • καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροιςSBLGNT
  • καθημένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροιςWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • ἐν ἀγοραῖς καθημένοις καὶ προσφωνοῦσιν τοῖς ἑταίροις αὐτῶνRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

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

Cross-references

  • Lam 2:13 — What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach i
  • Luke 7:31 — And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
  • Luke 7:31 — And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
  • Luke 7:32 — They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
  • Luke 13:18 — Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
  • Mark 4:30 — And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
  • Matt 12:34 — O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
  • Matt 23:36 — Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.