Luke 11:29

KJV1611 – Modern English

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and no sign shall be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶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.

Transliteration

And the ochlōn epathroizomenōn, he ērxato legein, The genea hautē ponēra is: sēmeion epizētei; and sēmeion not dothēsetai to it, except the sēmeion of Iōna the prophētou.

Grammar Details

• *ochlōn*: noun, genitive masculine plural - crowds/multitudes
• *epathroizomenōn*: present passive participle, genitive masculine plural - being gathered together/crowding around
• *ērxato*: aorist indicative middle, 3rd person singular - began
• *legein*: present active infinitive - to say/speak
• *genea*: noun, nominative feminine singular - generation
• *hautē*: demonstrative pronoun, nominative feminine singular - this
• *ponēra*: adjective, nominative feminine singular - evil/wicked
• *sēmeion*: noun, accusative neuter singular - sign/wonder
• *epizētei*: present indicative active, 3rd person singular - seeks eagerly/demands
• *dothēsetai*: future indicative passive, 3rd person singular - will be given
• *Iōna*: proper noun, genitive masculine singular - Jonah
• *prophētou*: noun, genitive masculine singular - prophet

Word Meanings

• *ochlōn*: crowds/multitudes/throngs
• *epathroizomenōn*: gathering together/crowding around/pressing together
• *genea*: generation/race/age
• *ponēra*: evil/wicked/corrupt
• *sēmeion*: sign/wonder/miracle
• *epizētei*: seeks eagerly/demands/requires
• *prophētou*: prophet/one who speaks for god

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  As the crowds were gathering, Jesus began to say, 'This generation is an evil one. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  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.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  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.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  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.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  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.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  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.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Sign of Jonah 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.

Referenced Verses

• Luke 11:16 : 16 And others, tempting him, sought from him a sign from heaven.
• Mark 8:11-12 : 11 And the Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking a sign from heaven, testing him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.
• Matt 12:38-42 : 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you. 39 But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and no sign shall be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah: 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
• Luke 12:1 : 1 Meanwhile, when there was gathered together a vast multitude of people, so much that they trampled one upon another, he began to say to his disciples first, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
• Luke 14:25-26 : 25 And great multitudes went with him: and he turned, and said to them, 26 If any man comes to me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
• John 2:18 : 18 So the Jews answered and said to him, What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?
• John 6:30 : 30 They said therefore to him, What sign do you show then, that we may see, and believe you? What do you work?
• John 8:44 : 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
• Acts 7:51-52 : 51 You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets have your fathers not persecuted? And they have killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers,
• 1 Cor 1:22 : 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
• Matt 16:1-4 : 1 The Pharisees and the Sadducees came and, testing Him, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left them and departed.
• Matt 23:34-36 : 34 Therefore, indeed, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city: 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.
• Isa 57:3-4 : 3 But draw near here, you sons of the sorceress, the offspring of the adulterer and the whore. 4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out the tongue? Are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
• Matt 3:7 : 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
• Mark 8:38 : 38 Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
• Luke 9:41 : 41 And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.
• Luke 11:50 : 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;