Luke 7:20
New International Version
When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

New Living Translation
John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”

English Standard Version
And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

Berean Standard Bible
When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

Berean Literal Bible
And the men having come to Him said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are You the coming One, or are we to look for another?'"

King James Bible
When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

New King James Version
When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ”

New American Standard Bible
When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?’”

NASB 1995
When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’”

NASB 1977
And when the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’”

Legacy Standard Bible
When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

Amplified Bible
So the men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptist sent us to You to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?’”

Christian Standard Bible
When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? ’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

American Standard Version
And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?

Contemporary English Version
When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?'"

English Revised Version
And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptizer sent us to ask you, 'Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?'"

Good News Translation
When they came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to ask if you are the one he said was going to come, or should we expect someone else?"

International Standard Version
When the men had come to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'"

Majority Standard Bible
When the men came to Jesus, they said, ?John the Baptist sent us to ask, ?Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else???

NET Bible
When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

New Heart English Bible
When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

Webster's Bible Translation
When the men had come to him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

Weymouth New Testament
The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: 'Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

World English Bible
When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And having come near to Him, the men said, “John the Immerser sent us to You, saying, Are You He who is coming, or do we look for another?”

Berean Literal Bible
And the men having come to Him said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are You the coming One, or are we to look for another?'"

Young's Literal Translation
And having come near to him, the men said, 'John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the men, having approached to him, said, John the Immerser has sent us to thee, saying, Art thou he coming? or should we expect another?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another?

Catholic Public Domain Version
But when the men had come to him, they said: “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying: ‘Are you he who is to come, or should we wait for another?’ ”

New American Bible
When the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they came to Jesus and said to him, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you the one who is to come? or are we to expect another one?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they came to Yeshua and they were saying to him, “Yohannan The Baptizer has sent us to you, and he said, “Are you the one who was coming or are we waiting for another?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And the men came to him and said: John the Immerser has sent us to thee, and says, Art thou he that was to come, or must we look for another?

Godbey New Testament
And the men having come to Him, said; John the Baptist sent us to thee, saving; Art thou the one coming, or must we expect another?

Haweis New Testament
Then the men came to him, saying, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or are we to expect another?

Mace New Testament
accordingly they came to Jesus, and said, John the Baptist sent us to enquire, if you are he that was to come, or must we look for another?

Weymouth New Testament
The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: 'Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

Worrell New Testament
And, coming near to Him, the men said, "John, the Immerser, sent us to Thee, saying, 'Art Thou the Coming One, or are we to expect another?'"

Worsley New Testament
And the men came to Him, and said, John the baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou He that was to come, or are we to expect another?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
John's Inquiry
19So John called two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?” 20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’” 21At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.…

Cross References
Matthew 11:2-6
Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples / to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?” / Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ...

Isaiah 35:5-6
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. / Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 11:3
to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”

John 1:29-34
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! / This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ / I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” ...

John 3:28-30
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ / The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. / He must increase; I must decrease.

Matthew 9:14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?” / Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Matthew 14:1-5
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus / and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” / Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ...

John 11:2-6
(Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.) / So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.” / When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ...

Matthew 16:13-16
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” / They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” / “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” ...

John 7:18-23
He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood. / Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?” / “You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?” ...

Matthew 3:11-12
I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. / His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John 5:36
But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”


Treasury of Scripture

When the men were come to him, they said, John Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you he that should come? or look we for another?

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Luke 7
1. Jesus finds a greater faith in the centurion;
10. heals his servant, being absent;
11. raises from death the widow's son at Nain;
18. answers John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles;
24. testifies to the people what opinion he held of John;
31. compares this generation to the children in the marketplaces,
36. and allowing his feet to be washed and anointed by a woman who was a sinner,
44. he shows how he is a friend to sinners, to forgive them their sins, upon their repentance.














When the men came to Jesus
This phrase sets the scene for a significant encounter. The "men" referred to here are disciples of John the Baptist. In the historical context, John the Baptist was a pivotal figure, preparing the way for Jesus. His disciples coming to Jesus signifies a bridge between the old covenant and the new. The Greek word for "came" (ἦλθον, ēlthon) implies a purposeful journey, indicating the importance of their mission. This moment underscores the transition from anticipation to fulfillment in the messianic expectation.

they said
The act of speaking here is crucial. In the biblical narrative, words are powerful and often carry divine authority. The Greek word for "said" (εἶπαν, eipan) is used frequently in the New Testament to denote not just casual conversation but declarations of significance. This phrase highlights the role of communication in revealing divine truth and the importance of testimony in the Christian faith.

John the Baptist sent us
John the Baptist is a central prophetic figure, and his sending of disciples to Jesus is laden with meaning. The Greek word for "sent" (ἀπέστειλεν, apesteilen) is related to the term "apostle," meaning one who is sent with a mission. This indicates John's recognition of Jesus' authority and his own role as a forerunner. Historically, John was imprisoned at this time, which adds urgency and poignancy to his inquiry through his disciples.

to ask
The act of asking is a demonstration of humility and a desire for understanding. The Greek word (ἐρωτήσῃ, erōtēsē) implies a respectful inquiry, not a challenge. This reflects the genuine search for truth that characterizes the followers of John and, by extension, all who seek Jesus. It is a model for how believers should approach God—with questions born of faith and a desire for deeper knowledge.

‘Are You the One who was to come
This question is at the heart of messianic expectation. The phrase "the One who was to come" is a direct reference to the promised Messiah, anticipated throughout the Old Testament. The Greek phrase (ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ho erchomenos) is rich with prophetic significance, echoing passages like Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. It encapsulates the hope of Israel for deliverance and restoration.

or should we look for someone else?
This part of the inquiry reveals a tension between expectation and reality. The Greek word for "look" (προσδοκῶμεν, prosdokōmen) suggests an active, hopeful waiting. It acknowledges the possibility of misunderstanding or incomplete revelation. This question invites reflection on the nature of faith and the challenge of recognizing God's work in unexpected ways. It encourages believers to remain open to God's unfolding plan, even when it defies human expectations.

(20) He that should come.--Literally, as in St. Matthew, He that cometh, or, the coming One.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
The
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

men
ἄνδρες (andres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

came
Παραγενόμενοι (Paragenomenoi)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3854: From para and ginomai; to become near, i.e. Approach; by implication, to appear publicly.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

[Jesus]
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

[and] said,
εἶπαν (eipan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“John
Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

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

Baptist
Βαπτιστὴς (Baptistēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 910: From baptizo; a baptizer, as an epithet of Christ's forerunner.

sent
ἀπέστειλεν (apesteilen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

us
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

ask,
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

‘Are
εἶ (ei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

You
Σὺ (Sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

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

One who was to come,
ἐρχόμενος (erchomenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

should we look for
προσδοκῶμεν (prosdokōmen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 4328: To expect, wait for, await, think, anticipate. From pros and dokeuo; to anticipate; by implication, to await.

someone else???
ἄλλον (allon)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 243: Other, another (of more than two), different. A primary word; 'else, ' i.e. Different.


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