Luke 20:4

Bible in Basic English (1941)

The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν, ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;

Transliteration

The baptisma of Iōannou, from ouranou was ēn, or from anthrōpōn?

Grammar Details

• *baptisma*: nominative, neuter, singular - baptism
• *Iōannou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of John
• *ouranou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of heaven
• *ēn*: imperfect active, 3rd singular - was
• *anthrōpōn*: genitive, masculine, plural - of men/people

Word Meanings

• *baptisma*: baptism/immersion/washing ritual
• *ouranou*: heaven/sky
• *anthrōpōn*: men/people/human beings

Referenced Verses

• Luke 15:18 : 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
• John 1:6 : 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
• John 1:19-28 : 19 And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him with the question, Who are you? 20 He said quite openly and straightforwardly, I am not the Christ. 21 And they said to him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? And his answer was, I am not. 22 So they said to him, Who are you then? We have to give some answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the waste land, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. 24 Those who had been sent came from the Pharisees. 25 And they put this question to him, saying, Why then are you giving baptism if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet? 26 John's answer was: I give baptism with water; but there is one among you of whom you have no knowledge; 27 It is he who is coming after me; I am not good enough to undo his shoes. 28 These things took place at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was giving baptism.
• Dan 4:25-26 : 25 That they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and you will be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure. 26 And as they gave orders to let the broken end and the roots of the tree be, so your kingdom will be safe for you after it is clear to you that the heavens are ruling.
• Matt 11:7-9 : 7 And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind? 8 But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses. 9 But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you. 11 Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it. 13 For all the prophets and the law were in force till John. 14 And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears, let him give ear. 16 But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another, 17 We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief. 18 For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit. 19 The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.
• Matt 17:11-12 : 11 And in answer he said, Elijah truly has to come and put all things right: 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come, and they had no knowledge of him, but did to him whatever they were pleased to do; the same will the Son of man undergo at their hands.
• Matt 21:25-32 : 25 The baptism of John, where did it come from? from heaven or from men? And they were reasoning among themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven; he will say to us, Why then did you not have faith in him? 26 But if we say, From men; we are in fear of the people, because all take John to be a prophet. 27 And they made answer and said, We have no idea. Then he said to them, And I will not say to you by what authority I do these things. 28 But how does it seem to you? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go and do work today in the vine-garden. 29 And he said in answer, I will not: but later, changing his decision, he went. 30 And he came to the second and said the same. And he made answer and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Which of the two did his father's pleasure? They say, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that tax-farmers and loose women are going into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you had no faith in him, but the tax-farmers and the loose women had faith in him: and you, when you saw it, did not even have regret for your sins, so as to have faith in him.
• Luke 7:28-35 : 28 I say to you, Among all the sons of women, not one is greater than John: but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 (And all the people, and the tax-farmers, to whom John had given baptism, when they had knowledge of these things, gave glory to God. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were against the purpose of God for themselves, not having had his baptism.) 31 What comparison am I to make of the men of this generation? what are they like? 32 They are like children who are seated in the market-place, crying out to one another, and saying, We made music for you, but you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow, but you were not sad. 33 For John the Baptist came, taking no food or drink, and you say, He has an evil spirit. 34 The Son of man came feasting, and you say, Here is a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners. 35 But wisdom is judged to be right by all her children.