Luke 12:56
New International Version
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?

New Living Translation
You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

English Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Berean Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?

Berean Literal Bible
Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the earth and of the sky, but how do you not know to discern this time?

King James Bible
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

New King James Version
Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

New American Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to analyze this present time?

NASB 1995
“You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?

NASB 1977
“You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?

Legacy Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to examine the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not examine this present time?

Amplified Bible
You hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders)! You know how to analyze and intelligently interpret the appearance of the earth and sky [to forecast the weather], but why do you not intelligently interpret this present time?

Christian Standard Bible
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this present time?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this time?

American Standard Version
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Accepters of faces, you know to discern the face of the earth and sky, how do you not discern this time?”

Contemporary English Version
Are you trying to fool someone? You can predict the weather by looking at the earth and sky, but you don't really know what's going on right now.

Douay-Rheims Bible
You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?

English Revised Version
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You hypocrites! You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of earth and sky. But for some reason you don't know how to judge the time in which you're living.

Good News Translation
Hypocrites! You can look at the earth and the sky and predict the weather; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time?

International Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, yet you don't know how to interpret the present time?"

Literal Standard Version
hypocrites! You have known to discern the face of the earth and of the sky, but how do you not discern this time?

Majority Standard Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?

New American Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

NET Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?

New Revised Standard Version
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

New Heart English Bible
Hypocrites. You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not know how to interpret this time?

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?

Weymouth New Testament
Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?

World English Bible
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?

Young's Literal Translation
hypocrites! the face of the earth and of the heaven ye have known to make proof of, but this time -- how do ye not make proof of it?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Interpreting the Present Time
55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time? 57And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?…

Cross References
Matthew 6:2
So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Matthew 16:3
and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.


Treasury of Scripture

You hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern this time?

ye can.

1 Chronicles 12:32
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Matthew 16:3
And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

that.

Luke 19:42-44
Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes…

Daniel 9:24-26
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy…

Haggai 2:7
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

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Luke 12
1. Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13. and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns.
22. We must not worry about earthly things,
31. but seek the kingdom of God;
33. give alms;
35. be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes.
41. Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49. and look for persecution.
54. The people must take this time of grace;
57. because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation.














(56) How is it that ye do not discern this time?--What had been said before to Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:3) is here repeated with a wider application. It was true of the people, as of their teachers, that they did not discern the true import of the time, the season, the crisis in which they found themselves. It was "the time of their visitation" (see Note on Luke 19:44), and yet they knew it not.

Verse 56. - Ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? These things had an interest for them. Heat and drought, wind and rain, affected materially the prospect of their wheat-harvest and vintage, the fruitfulness of their orchards and oliveyards, therefore they gave their whole mind to the watching of the weather; but to the awful signs of the time in which they were living they were blind and deaf. What were these signs?

(1) The low state of morality among public men. Did none of them notice how utterly corrupt were priests and scribes and people, how hollow and meaningless their boasted religious rites, how far removed from them was the presence of the God of their fathers?

(2) Political situation. Did none of them notice the terribly strained relations between the Roman or Herodian, and the great national party? Were they blind to the bitter, irreconcilable hatred to mighty Rome which was seething scarcely beneath the surface of Jewish society? Were they deaf to the rumbling noises which too surely heralded a fierce and bloody war between little Palestine, split up into parties and sects, and the mighty world of Rome which had seized them in its own grip? What could be the result of such a war? Were they devoid of reason as well as blind and deaf?

(3) Heavenly warnings. What had they done with John the Baptist? Many in Israel knew that man was indeed a great prophet of the Lord. His burning words had penetrated far and wide; vast crowds had heard the awful sounds with breathless awe; but no one heeded, and the people watched him die. And now - they had listened to him who was speaking to them. He had told them all; no sign of power was wanting to his ministry, and it was just over, and the people had not repented.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[You] hypocrites!
ὑποκριταί (hypokritai)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5273: From hupokrinomai; an actor under an assumed character, i.e. a dissembler

You know how
οἴδατε (oidate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

to interpret
δοκιμάζειν (dokimazein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1381: From dokimos; to test; by implication, to approve.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

appearance
πρόσωπον (prosōpon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4383: From pros and ops; the front, i.e. The countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person.

of the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

earth
γῆς (gēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

sky.
οὐρανοῦ (ouranou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

Why
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

don’t you know how
οἴδατε (oidate)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

to interpret
δοκιμάζειν (dokimazein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1381: From dokimos; to test; by implication, to approve.

[the]
τοῦτον (touton)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

present time?
καιρὸν (kairon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2540: Fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time. Of uncertain affinity; an occasion, i.e. Set or proper time.


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NT Gospels: Luke 12:56 You hypocrites! (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 12:55
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