LUKE 11:29 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) [ref]The crowds had grown even larger, but Yeshua told them, “This generation is evil because they’re requesting a miracle and the only miracle that will be given to them will be the miracle of Yonah (Jonah).

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And as the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, but a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

UST More and more people were coming to join the crowd around Jesus. He said, “The people living at this time are evil people. They want me to do a miracle to prove that I have come from God. But the only proof they will see is a miracle like the one that happened to Jonah.

11:29 CT It demands

11:29 CT does not include the prophet.

BLB And of the crowds being pressed around together, He began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.

AICNT As the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is {an evil generation};[fn] it seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of [[the prophet]][fn] Jonah.

11:29, an evil generation: 𝔓45 𝔓75 ℵ(01) A(02) B(03) ‖ Some manuscripts read “evil.” C(04) W(032) BYZ TR

11:29, the prophet: Some manuscripts include. A(02) C(04) W(032) Latin(e) Syriac(sy^s sy^p) BYZ TR ‖ Absent from 𝔓45 𝔓75 ℵ(01) B(03) D(05) Latin(a b ff² i) NA28 SBLGNT THGNT.

OEB As the crowds increased, Jesus began to speak, ‘This generation is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

WEBBE When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

LSV And the multitudes crowding together on Him, He began to say, “This generation is evil, it seeks after a sign, and a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

FBV As people crowded around him, Jesus began telling them, “This is an evil generation for it's looking for some miraculous sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

TCNT Now as the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is [fn]evil. It asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of [fn]the prophet Jonah.

11:29 evil ¦ an evil generation ANT CT

11:29 the prophet ¦ — CT

T4T When the group of people around Jesus got larger, he said, “Many of you people who have been observing my ministry are evil. You want me to perform a miracle to prove that I have come from God, but the only miracle that I will perform for you is one like happened to Jonah.

LEB ¶ And as[fn] the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation! It demands a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah!

11:29 *Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were increasing”)

BBE And when a great number of people came together to him, he said, This generation is an evil generation: it is looking for a sign and no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

Moff As the crowds were thronging to him, he proceeded to say,
⇔ "This is an evil generation: it demands a Sign,
⇔ but no Sign will be given to it except the Sign of Jonah;

Wymth Now when the crowds came thronging upon Him, He proceeded to say, "The present generation is a wicked generation: it requires some sign, but no sign shall be given to it except that of Jonah.

ASV And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

DRA And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

YLT And the multitudes crowding together upon him, he began to say, 'This generation is evil, a sign it doth seek after, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

Drby But as the crowds thronged together, he began to say, This generation is a wicked generation: it seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it but the sign of Jonas.

RV And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
(And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh/seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah. )

SLT And crowds being collected, he began to say, This is an evil generation: it seeks a sign; and no sign shall be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

Wbstr And when the people were assembled in crowds, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

KJB-1769 ¶ And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

KJB-1611 ¶ And when the people were gathered thicke together, hee began to say, This is an euill generation, they seeke a signe, and there shall no signe be giuen it, but the signe of Ionas the Prophet:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps When the people were gathered thicke together, he began to saye: This is an euyll natio, they seke a signe, and there shall no signe be geuen them, but the signe of Ionas the prophete.
(When the people were gathered thick together, he began to say: This is an evil natio, they seek a sign, and there shall no sign be given them, but the sign of Yonas the prophet.)

Gnva And when the people were gathered thicke together, he began to say, This is a wicked generation: they seeke a signe, and there shall no signe be giuen them, but the signe of Ionas the Prophet.
(And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is a wicked generation: they seek a sign, and there shall no sign be given them, but the sign of Yonas the Prophet. )

Cvdl Whan the people were gathered thicke together, he beganne to saye: This is an euell generacion, they desyre a toke, and there shal no token be geuen them, but the toke of the prophet Ionas.
(When the people were gathered thick together, he began to say: This is an evil generation, they desire a toke, and there shall no token be given them, but the took of the prophet Yonas.)

TNT When the people were gadered thicke to geder: he began to saye. This is an evyll nacion: they seke a signe and ther shall no signe be geven them but the signe of Ionas the Prophet.
(When the people were gathered thick together: he began to saye. This is an evil nation: they seek a sign and there shall no sign be given them but the sign of Yonas the Prophet. )

Wycl And whanne the puple runnen togidere, he bigan to seie, This generacioun is a weiward generacioun; it sekith a token, and a tokene schal not be youun to it, but the tokene of Jonas, the profete.
(And when the people ran together, he began to say, This generation is a wayward generation; it seeketh/seeks a token, and a token shall not be given to it, but the token of Yonas, the profete.)

Luth Das Volk aber drang hinzu. Da fing er an und sagte: Dies ist eine arge Art; sie begehret ein Zeichen, und es wird ihr kein Zeichen gegeben denn nur das Zeichen des Propheten Jona.
(The people but drang in. So caught he at/to and said: This/These is a/one arge Art; they/she/them desired a sign, and it becomes you(pl)/their/her no/not sign given because/than only the sign the prophet(s) Yona.)

ClVg Turbis autem concurrentibus cœpit dicere: Generatio hæc, generatio nequam est: signum quærit, et signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Jonæ prophetæ.[fn]
(Turbis however concurrentibus he_began to_say: Generation these_things, generation wicked/worthless it_is: sign/signal seeks, and sign/signal not/no will_be_given to_him, except sign/signal Yonæ the_prophets. )

11.29 Cœpit dicere. Quidam calumniabantur opera ejus, quibus hucusque respondit. Alii tentantes, signum quærebant de cœlo, et illis hic respondet. Signum quærit et signum non dabitur illi, etc. Discipulis signum dedit divinitatis, et prius transfiguratus in monte, et postea ipsis videntibus sublevatus in cœlum. Sed incredulis de inferiori humanitatis passione.

11.29 It_began to_say. Quidam calumniabantur works his, to_whom hereusque answered. Others tempting, sign/signal they_were_looking_for from/about sky, and to_them this/here responds. Signum seeks and sign/signal not/no will_be_given them, etc. Discipulis sign/signal he_gave of_divinity, and first/before transfiguratus in/into/on mountain, and afterwards themselves to_those_who_see sublevatus in/into/on sky. But incredulis from/about inferior humanity passionately.

UGNT τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων, ἤρξατο λέγειν, ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη γενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιν; σημεῖον ζητεῖ καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ.
(tōn de oⱪlōn epathroizomenōn, aʸrxato legein, haʸ genea hautaʸ genea ponaʸra estin; saʸmeion zaʸtei kai saʸmeion ou dothaʸsetai autaʸ, ei maʸ to saʸmeion Yōna.)

SBL-GNT Τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν· Ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη ⸀γενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιν· σημεῖον ⸀ζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον ⸀Ἰωνᾶ.
(Tōn de oⱪlōn epathroizomenōn aʸrxato legein; Haʸ genea hautaʸ ⸀genea ponaʸra estin; saʸmeion ⸀zaʸtei, kai saʸmeion ou dothaʸsetai autaʸ ei maʸ to saʸmeion ⸀Yōna.)

RP-GNT Τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν, Ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη πονηρά ἐστιν· σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου.
(Tōn de oⱪlōn epathroizomenōn aʸrxato legein, Haʸ genea hautaʸ ponaʸra estin; saʸmeion epizaʸtei, kai saʸmeion ou dothaʸsetai autaʸ, ei maʸ to saʸmeion Yōna tou profaʸtou.)

TC-GNT Τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν, Ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη [fn]πονηρά ἐστι· σημεῖον [fn]ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ [fn]τοῦ προφήτου.
(Tōn de oⱪlōn epathroizomenōn aʸrxato legein, Haʸ genea hautaʸ ponaʸra esti; saʸmeion epizaʸtei, kai saʸmeion ou dothaʸsetai autaʸ, ei maʸ to saʸmeion Yōna tou profaʸtou. )

11:29 πονηρα ¦ γενεα πονηρα ANT CT

11:29 επιζητει ¦ ζητει ANT CT

11:29 του προφητου ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:29–32: The people demanded a miracle

In 11:17–26, Jesus answered the accusation in 11:15 that he drove out demons by the power of Beelzebul. In this section, he answered the other group of people who wanted him to show them a sign from heaven (11:16). Even though he had already done many miracles for them, they would not believe that he had come from God. Jesus made it clear that God would punish them because they would not believe in him. He reminded them that the people of Jonah’s time believed what Jonah preached. He also reminded them that the Queen of Sheba in Solomon’s time came from a distant country to listen to Solomon wise words. The people of Jesus’ time were seeing God reveal himself in an even greater way, but they still did not believe.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

The People Want A Miracle (NCV)

The Sign of Jonah (NIV)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 12:38–42.

11:29a

As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said,

¶ While more and more people were gathering close to Jesus, he said,
¶ The crowd around Jesus got bigger, and Jesus said to them,

As the crowds were increasing: There are two ways to interpret the meaning of the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as As the crowds were increasing:

More and more people came to see Jesus. For example:
As the crowd grew larger (NCV) (BSB, NIV, RSV, NJB, NASB, ESV, NET, NCV)
The people who had already come to see Jesus gathered/crowded together around him. For example:
As the people crowded around Jesus (GNT) (GNT, GW, NLT, KJV, REB, CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). As more and more people heard about the man that Jesus had healed, they came and joined the crowd that had gathered around him. Another way to translate this clause is:

More and more people gathered

11:29b

“This is a wicked generation.

“The people who are living today are wicked/evil.
“You^(plur) people who live now are evil,

This is a wicked generation: The clause This is a wicked generation means “the people living at this time are evil.” Jesus said this because the people refused to believe that God had sent him, even though they had seen him perform many miracles. Another way to translate this is:

The people who live today are evil. (NCV)

The word generation also occurs in 9:41a in a similar context.

Since Jesus was including the people he was talking to, in some languages it may be necessary to use the second person:

You^(plur) are a wicked generation.

11:29c

It demands a sign,

They keep asking me for an amazing sign.
because you^(plur) are demanding that I do a miracle to prove/show that God has sent me.

Verse 11:29c helps to explain why Jesus called the people of 11:29b “wicked.” They were wicked because they demanded a sign. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this relationship explicitly. For example:

because it asks for…

It: The pronoun It refers to “this wicked generation” in 11:29b.

demands a sign: The clause demands a sign probably refers back to 11:16. In that verse, some of the people in the crowd asked Jesus “for a sign from heaven.” The requests in both of these verses mean essentially the same thing. Both contain similar implied information. In some languages, some of this implied information may need to be made explicit. For example:

They are asking me to perform a miracle to prove that God has sent me.

If you used the second person “you” in 11:29b, it will probably be necessary to do so here also. For example:

You keep looking for a sign from God. (CEV)

demands: The Greek word that the BSB translates as demands is literally “seeks.” Some other ways to translate this verb are:

asks for (NIV)

want to see (NCV)

The same verb was used in 11:16.

a sign: The Greek word that the BSB translates as a sign means “a sign or distinguishing mark by which people know that something is true.” In this context it refers to a miracle that would prove that God had sent Jesus. The same word occurs in 11:16.

11:29d

but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

But no sign will be given/shown to them except the sign of Jonah.
But the only sign that they will see/receive is what happened to the prophet Jonah.
I will give/show you^(plur) only one sign/miracle, and that will be like the miracle that God did for Jonah.

but: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as but introduces a contrast between what the people were demanding in 11:29c and what they would receive in 11:29d. Use a natural way in your language to introduce this contrast.

none will be given it: The clause none will be given it means “no sign will be given to this generation.” The verb will be given is a passive verb. Some ways to translate this verb are:

As a passive verb. For example:
no sign will be given them (NCV)
As an active verb. For example:
they will not see/receive any miraculous sign
I will not give them a miraculous sign

Translate this verb in a way that is most natural in your language.

except the sign of Jonah: Jesus made one exception. He would give that generation one sign: the sign of the prophet Jonah.

In some languages it may be more natural to place this phrase at the beginning of 11:29d. For example:

But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. (NLT)

the sign of Jonah: There are two ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the BSB translates literally as the sign of Jonah:

It refers to what happened to Jonah. For example:
But what happened to Jonah is the only sign you will be given. (CEV) (CEV, NLT)
It refers to Jonah’s preaching. For example:
The only sign they will be given is what Jonah preached.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most scholars.Some of the scholars who follow this interpretation say that this sign consisted of Jonah and Jesus themselves, not their words. But they then go on to describe what Jonah and Jesus experienced—Jonah’s miraculous deliverance from the belly of the fish and Jesus’ resurrection from death. The parallel passage in Matthew 12:40 clearly identifies the “sign of Jonah” as Jonah being three days inside the belly of the fish. This experience is compared to Jesus being dead and buried for three days. In 11:29d Jesus stated that this sign was still in the future, whereas Jesus had already been preaching for some time.

Most English versions literally follow the Greek grammar and say “the sign of Jonah.” There are at least two translation issues to consider:

Some readers may wrongly interpret this phrase to mean “the sign/miracle that Jonah performed for others.” In your translation, be sure that the sign/miracle refers to the miracle that happened to Jonah, as in the CEV example above.
Your readers may not understand from 11:29d that Jesus was using a comparison. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this clear in 11:29d so that it fits with the comparison in 11:30a–b. For example:
The only sign they will be shown is like what happened to Jonah.

If your readers are not familiar with what happened to Jonah, it may be helpful to add a footnote. For example:

Jonah was a prophet of God long ago. A large fish swallowed him, but after three days God caused the fish to vomit Jonah onto the land. See Jonah 1:17 and 2:10. See also Matthew 12:40.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῶν Δέ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν Ἡ γενεά αὕτη γενεά πονηρά ἐστίν σημεῖον ζητεῖ καί σημεῖον οὒ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μή τό σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ)

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state what these crowds were. Alternate translation: [as the crowds around Jesus were growing larger] or [as more people kept joining the crowds around Jesus]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη γενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιν; σημεῖον ζητεῖ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῶν Δέ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν Ἡ γενεά αὕτη γενεά πονηρά ἐστίν σημεῖον ζητεῖ καί σημεῖον οὒ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μή τό σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ)

Jesus uses the term generation to mean the people who were born in the current generation. Alternate translation: [The people living at this time are evil people. They seek]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

σημεῖον ζητεῖ

˓a˒_sign ˱it˲_˓is˒_seeking

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate the purpose of the sign that the people were seeking. Alternate translation: [They want me to perform a miracle to prove that I have come from God]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ, εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ

˓a˒_sign ˓a˒_sign sign (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῶν Δέ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν Ἡ γενεά αὕτη γενεά πονηρά ἐστίν σημεῖον ζητεῖ καί σημεῖον οὒ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μή τό σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ)

If, in your language, it would appear that Jesus was making a statement here and then contradicting it, you could reword this to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: [God will only give it the sign of Jonah]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form, and you could state who would do the action. Alternate translation: [God will not give it a sign]

τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ

Alternate translation: [a miracle like the one that God did for Jonah]

Parallel LUKE 11:29

Section 11:29–32: The people demanded a miracle

11:29a

11:29b

11:29c

11:29d