MAT 11:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

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

OET (OET-RV) So why did you go out there? To see a prophet? Yes, I’m telling you that he is a prophet, and even more important than the prophets.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

UST Surely you traveled to the desolate area to see a man who spoke for God. Yes, that is who John is! But I want to tell you that John is more significant than other people who speak for God.

BSB What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

MSB What then did you go out to see? A prophet?[fn] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

11:9 SBL and WH Why did you go out? To see a prophet?

BLB But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet.

AICNT But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

OEB What, then, did you go for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

WEBBE But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

LSV But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,

FBV So what did you go to see then? A prophet? Yes, and I tell you he is much more than a prophet!

TCNT But [fn]what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

11:9 what did you go out to see? A prophet? ¦ why did you go out? To see a prophet? SBL WH

T4T Then what kind of person did you go to see [RHQ]? Did you go there [RHQ] to see John because he was ◄a prophet/a person who speaks what God tells him to say►? Yes! But I will tell you that John is more important than an ordinary prophet.

LEB But why did you go out? To see a prophet?[fn] Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

11:9 Some manuscripts have “But what did you go out to see? A prophet?”

BBE But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Moff Come, why did you go out?
⇔ To see a prophet?
⇔ Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

Wymth But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

ASV But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

DRA But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet.

YLT 'But what went ye out to see? — a prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet,

Drby But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet:

RV But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
(But wherefore went ye/you_all out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. )

SLT But what went ye out to see? A prophet? yes, I say to you, and more eminent than a prophet.

Wbstr But what went ye out to see? A prophet? yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

KJB-1769 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
( But what went ye/you_all out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. )

KJB-1611 But what went ye out for to see? A Prophet? yea, I say vnto you, and more then a Prophet.
(But what went ye/you_all out for to see? A Prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more then a Prophet.)

Bshps But what went ye out for to see? A prophete? yea I say vnto you, and more then a prophete.
(But what went ye/you_all out for to see? A prophet? yea I say unto you, and more then a prophet.)

Gnva But what went ye out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say vnto you, and more then a Prophet.
(But what went ye/you_all out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more then a Prophet. )

Cvdl But what are ye gone out for to se? A prophet? Yee I saye vnto you, and more the a prophet.
(But what are ye/you_all gone out for to se? A prophet? Ye/You_all I say unto you, and more the a prophet.)

TNT But what wet ye oute for to se? A prophete? Ye I saye to you and more the a prophete.
(But what wet ye/you_all out for to se? A prophet? Ye/You_all I say to you and more the a prophet. )

Wycl But what thing wenten ye out to se? a prophete? Yhe, Y seie to you, and more than a prophete.
(But what thing went ye/you_all out to se? a prophet? Yhe, I say to you, and more than a prophet.)

Luth Oder was seid ihr hinausgegangen zu sehen? Wolltet ihr einen Propheten sehen? Ja, ich sage euch, der auch mehr ist denn ein Prophet.
(Or what/which are you(pl)/their/her went_out to/for see? Wolltet you(pl)/their/her a prophet(s) see? Yes, I said you, the/of_the also more is because/than a Prophet.)

ClVg Sed quid existis videre? prophetam? Etiam dico vobis, et plus quam prophetam.[fn]
(But what existis to_see? prophet? Yes I_mean/say to_you(pl), and plus how prophet. )

11.9 Plusquam propheta. BEDA. Quia angelus non natura sed officio.

11.9 Plusquam a_prophet. BEDA. Because messenger/angel not/no nature/element but officio.

UGNT ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε? προφήτην ἰδεῖν? ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
(alla ti exaʸlthate? profaʸtaʸn idein? nai, legō humin, kai perissoteron profaʸtou.)

SBL-GNT ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε⸂; προφήτην ἰδεῖν⸃; ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
(alla ti exaʸlthate⸂; profaʸtaʸn idein⸃; nai, legō humin, kai perissoteron profaʸtou.)

RP-GNT Ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθετε ἰδεῖν; Προφήτην; Ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
(Alla ti exaʸlthete idein; Profaʸtaʸn; Nai, legō humin, kai perissoteron profaʸtou.)

TC-GNT Ἀλλὰ τί [fn]ἐξήλθετε [fn]ἰδεῖν; Προφήτην; Ναί, λέγω ὑμῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου.
(Alla ti exaʸlthete idein; Profaʸtaʸn; Nai, legō humin, kai perissoteron profaʸtou. )

11:9 εξηλθετε ¦ εξηλθατε CT

11:9 ιδειν προφητην ¦ προφητην ιδειν SBL WH

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:1–19: Jesus praised John the Baptist

Long before Jesus was born, God spoke of a messenger who would prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). John the Baptist was that messenger. When John’s ministry was ending, he began to doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. So John sent some of his disciples to verify that Jesus was the Messiah (11:3). Jesus indicated that his miracles and preaching were proof that he was the expected Messiah whom God spoke of (11:4–5).

Jesus then showed that John was very important in God’s eyes (11:7–14).

Jesus and John did God’s work in very different ways, but most people refused to listen to either person (11:16–19).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The question of John the Baptist

Jesus talked about John the Baptizer

Messengers from John the Baptist (NRSV)

Jesus and John the Baptizer’s actions prove who they are

There is a parallel passage for this section in Luke 7:18–35.

11:9a

What then did you go out to see?

So, what kind of person did you go out to see?
So when you went into the wilderness, did you go to see
When you went into the desert, you went to see

What then did you go out to see?: This rhetorical question is exactly the same as the rhetorical question in 11:8a. However, you may have to translate this rhetorical question slightly differently than the one in 11:8a. This is because the expected answer to the pair of rhetorical questions in 11:9a–b is “yes.”

11:9b

A prophet?

Did you^(plur) go to see a prophet?
a prophet?
a prophet.

A prophet?: Some words from the previous sentence are implied but not repeated. It may be more natural in some languages to include some or all of the implied words. For example:

Did you go to see a prophet?

This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that they did go out to see a prophet.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

As a rhetorical question. Your translation should imply that the expected answer was “Yes, they went out to see a prophet.” For example:
Did you go to see a prophet?
You went out to see a prophet, right?
As a statement. For example:
You certainly did go to see a prophet.
It was a prophet whom you went out to see.

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

prophet: See how you translated this word in 1:22 or 10:41a. Also see prophet in the Glossary for further information.

11:9c

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

Yes! I tell you that he is more important than a prophet.
Of course! And I tell you that he is greater/higher than a prophet.
And John is certainly greater than all the other prophets.

Yes, I tell you: The word Yes shows what is the expected answer to the rhetorical question in 11:9b. The words I tell you emphasize the following statement.

Here are some other ways to show this emphasis:

As a phrase before Jesus’ statement. For example:
Let me tell you (GW)
As an emphatic word within Jesus’ statement. For example:
He is certainly more than a prophet

more than a prophet: The words more than a prophet mean that John was not only a prophet, he was greater than all the other prophets. Among the Jews, the highest religious position a man could have was to be called a prophet. So Jesus’ statement showed that John was indeed a very important person.

In Malachi 3:1, it was prophesied that a messenger would come to prepare the way of the Lord. That messenger was John. John was the only prophet who had that privilege. Because of that, he was greater than all the other prophets.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

John is more than a prophet (NCV)

he is greater/higher than a prophet

the prophet you saw is greater than the other prophets

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἀλλὰ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀλλά τί ἐξήλθατε προφήτην Ἰδεῖν Ναί λέγω ὑμῖν καί περισσότερον προφήτου)

Here, much as in [11:8](../11/08.md), the word But introduces a contrast with the possibility that Jesus asked about in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces this kind of contrast, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: [If not that,] or [So,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

τί ἐξήλθατε? προφήτην ἰδεῖν?

why ˱you_all˲_came_out ˓a˒_prophet (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀλλά τί ἐξήλθατε προφήτην Ἰδεῖν Ναί λέγω ὑμῖν καί περισσότερον προφήτου)

Here the two questions could be divided so that the phrase To see goes with: (1) a prophet. See the ULT. (2) go out. Alternate translation: [what did you go out to see? A prophet?]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε? προφήτην ἰδεῖν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀλλά τί ἐξήλθατε προφήτην Ἰδεῖν Ναί λέγω ὑμῖν καί περισσότερον προφήτου)

Jesus is using the question form to teach the crowds about John. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate these questions as statements or exclamations. Alternate translation: [Surely you went out to see a prophet!] or [I know why you went out. It was to see a prophet.]

λέγω ὑμῖν

˱I˲_˓am˒_saying ˱to˲_you_all

Jesus uses the clause I say to you to emphasize what he is telling the crowds. Use a natural form in your language for emphasizing the truth and importance of a statement. Alternate translation: [I want you to know]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

καὶ περισσότερον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀλλά τί ἐξήλθατε προφήτην Ἰδεῖν Ναί λέγω ὑμῖν καί περισσότερον προφήτου)

Jesus is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [and he was more than]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

περισσότερον προφήτου

more_important_‹than› ˓a˒_prophet

Jesus means that John was indeed a prophet, but that he was even more than a typical prophet. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [not just an ordinary prophet] or [greater than the other prophets]

Parallel MAT 11:9

Section 11:1–19: Jesus praised John the Baptist

11:9a

11:9b

11:9c