Bible Strands
Luke 7:31
“To what, then, can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the Pharisees and experts in the law immediately after noting their rejection of John’s baptism. He poses a direct question about his contemporaries before introducing a parable about their unresponsive behavior.
The words — The verb ὁμοιώσω (homoiōsō) means “will I liken,” marking the verse as the prompt for a comparison. The particle οὖν (oun) translates as “therefore,” binding the question to the preceding failure to recognize God’s purpose.
The thread — Jesus repeats this exact rhetorical opening in Matthew 11:16 to introduce the same marketplace children illustration. The phrasing parallels Lamentations 2:13, where the prophet asks what he can compare to Jerusalem, and Mark 4:30, where Jesus asks what to compare the kingdom of God to.
Why it lands — The text requires a clear evaluation of how people respond to God’s messengers. It forces the reader to acknowledge that dismissing divine purpose eliminates any basis for spiritual engagement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Cross-references
- Matthew 11:16 To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
- Lamentations 2:13 What can I say for you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may console you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? For your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can ever heal you?
- Mark 4:30 Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?