Jesus in confronted by the Pharisees after talking about John.
Luke 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
Luke 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’
They are like kids, those in a marketplace, having seated themselves and issuing orders to one another. He said this: We played to you and you didn't dance. We sang a dirge, and you didn't weep.
We love ordering each other around, but we also love those who ignore the orders.
ὅμοιοί εἰσιν παιδίοις τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ καθημένοις καὶ προσφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις,
like They are kids, those in a marketplace, having seated themselves and issuing orders to one another.
ἃ λέγει ‘ Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε: ἐθρηνήσαμεν καὶ οὐκ ἐκλαύσατε:
this He said: We played to you and didn't you dance. We sang a dirge, and didn't you weep.
The Greek word translated as "calling" means is uncommon, and Jesus uses other Greek words to mean "call by name" and "speak to" so the unique sense of this Greek word is "issuing orders." This is most consistent with what follows. The participles, "sitting" and "calling" are both in the past perfect tense, but the later verbs with an "have" before them in translation in the KIV is not the past perfect tense.
The Greek verb translated as "saying" in the KIV is left out of the NIV. It is a singular verb. It has an object, ignored in both translations. The sense is: "he said this."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "those" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "sitting" is the present tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "having seated themselves."
- WV -- Wrong Voice --This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for themselves" or a "themselves" as an object.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "calling" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these" is not shown in the English translation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WN --Wrong Number- The word "saying" seemed to refer to a plural noun, but the verb is singular.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not a participle , a verbal adjective, ending with "-ing" but an active verb, "he says."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "piped" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for yourselves" or a "yourselves" as an object.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "mourned" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "to you" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" before "wept" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "those" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT --Wrong Tense - The English verb "sitting" is the present tense, but Greek is in the past perfect, a completed action, "having seated themselves."
- WV -- Wrong Voice --This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for themselves" or a "themselves" as an object.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "calling" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "these" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "he said" is not shown in the English translation.
They -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
like -- The word translated as "like" is an adjective that means "like," "resembling," and "matching."
unto -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
children - "Children" is a word that means "little children" so "little boy" and "little girl" but it is not associated with either sex. It is not the word usually translated as "children" in the New Testament. Read this article about words translated as "child" or "children" in the Gospels. This word is in the form of an indirect object: "to little ones."children" is a word that means "little one" so "little boy" and "little girl" but it is not associated with either sex. It is not the word usually translated as "children" in the New Testament. Read this article about words translated as "child" or "children" in the Gospels. This word is in a form of an indirect object: "to little ones."
missing "those" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." Before an adjective or a particle, it changes the following word to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
sitting - (WT) "Sitting" is a Greek verb that means to "be seated," "sit," especially of courts, councils, assemblies, etc. The sense of being put in a position of authority as we would say "chair." It also means to "sit still" or "sit idle." This is not the present tens but the past perfect tense, middle voice.
missing "by/for themselves"-- (WV) The middle voice of the verb indicates that the subject does something to, for, or by themselves.
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time), or "among" with an indirect-object form object. With the direct object form, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
marketplace, -- The word translated as "marketplaces" means "a place of assembly." Its verb form that means "to buy in a market" and its root means "a field."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
calling - (CW) The Greek word translated as "calling" means to "call or speak to," call by name," or "issue directions or orders." This word is also uncommon for Jesus. Jesus uses another Greek word to mean "call by name" and "speak to" so the sense of "issuing orders" is most likely and consistent with what follows.
one to another, - - "One another" is a special adjective that means literally "one another."
and -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
missing "this" -- (MW) The untranslated word "this" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that" "these" "those"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
saying, -- (WF, WN) The word translated as "saying" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak," but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of." When two accusative objects are used, the sense is "say of him this," or "call him this." This word is not plural but singular.
We -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
piped - "Piped" is a word that means specifically to "play on the flute," and generally, "play music." It is in a tense that indicates something happening at a specific point in time.
unto -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
danced; - "Danced" is the Greek word for "to make dance". In the passive form here, it means "to dance.
we -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
mourned -- "Lament" means singing funeral songs. The singing part refers to cantorial chanting or praying at a funeral service.
to you, -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as this in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
wept. - The verb translated as "weep" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry".
They -- This is from the third-person, plural form of the verb.
are -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics. The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.
like -- The word translated as "like" is an adjective that means "like," "resembling," and "matching."
children - "Children" is a word that means "little children" so "little boy" and "little girl" but it is not associated with either sex. It is not the word usually translated as "children" in the New Testament. Read this article about words translated as "child" or "children" in the Gospels. This word is in the form of an indirect object: "to little ones."children" is a word that means "little one" so "little boy" and "little girl" but it is not associated with either sex. It is not the word usually translated as "children" in the New Testament. Read this article about words translated as "child" or "children" in the Gospels. This word is in a form of an indirect object: "to little ones."
missing "those" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." Before an adjective or a particle, it changes the following word to act like a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
sitting - (WT) "Sitting" is a Greek verb that means to "be seated," "sit," especially of courts, councils, assemblies, etc. The sense of being put in a position of authority as we would say "chair." It also means to "sit still" or "sit idle." This is not the present tens but the past perfect tense, middle voice.
missing "by/for themselves"-- (WV) The middle voice of the verb indicates that the subject does something to, for, or by themselves.
in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time), or "among" with an indirect-object form object. With the direct object form, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."
the -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source.
marketplace, -- The word translated as "marketplaces" means "a place of assembly." Its verb form that means "to buy in a market" and its root means "a field."
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
calling - (CW) The Greek word translated as "calling" means to "call or speak to," call by name," or "issue directions or orders." This word is also uncommon for Jesus. Jesus uses another Greek word to mean "call by name" and "speak to" so the sense of "issuing orders" is most likely and consistent with what follows.
out - This completes the meaning of the verb. It is from the prefix.
to each another, - - "One another" is a special adjective that means literally "one another."
missing "this" -- (MW) The untranslated word "this" is a demonstrative pronoun ("this" "that" "these" "those"), but it often acts as a pronoun, "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
missing "he said" -- (MW) The untranslated word "he said" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak," but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of." When two accusative objects are used, the sense is "say of him this," or "call him this." This word is not plural but singular.
We -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
played the pipe - "Played the pipe" is a word that means specifically to "play on the flute," and generally, "play music." It is in a tense that indicates something happening at a specific point in time.
for -- This word "to" comes from the indirect object form of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object. However, the translator can choose other prepositions: "with," "in," "of," "as," "by," "for," "at," or "on" depending on the contex
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
did -- This English helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in translation from Greek
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
dance; - "Danced" is the Greek word for "to make dance". In the passive form here, it means "to dance.
we -- This is from the first-person, plural form of the verb.
sang a dirge -- "Sang a dirge" means singing funeral songs. The singing part refers to cantorial chanting or praying at a funeral service.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
did -- This English helping verb is used to create questions, commands, negative statements, and smooth word flow in translation from Greek
not -- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It means "no," "not," or"no truly." It makes a negative statement of fact. When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
cry. - The verb translated as "cry" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry".
ὅμοιοί [29 verses](adj pl masc nom) "Like" is homoios, which means "like," "resembling," "the same," "equal in force, "a match for one," "suiting," "of the same rank," "alike," "in like manner," and "equally."
ἐστίν.[614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen," and "is possible." With the possessive (genitive) object, it means "is descended from," "is the type of," "belongs to," "is made of," "is a duty of," "is at the mercy of," or " is dependent on." With an indirect (dative) object, it means "have" where the subject and object are reversed. "It is to him" becomes "it is his" or "he has it." With the preposition,"into" (εἰς), the sense is "consist of." When the verb "to be" appears early in the clause before the subject, the sense is more like "it is" or, in the plural, "there are."
παιδίοις [8 verses](noun pl neut dat) "Children" is paidion. which means "little one", "little boy", and "little girl." It is not the word usually translated as "children" in the New Testament which is usually the noun meaning "son," for example, "children of God" is usually huios (sons) theos(God).
τοῖς [821 verses](article pl masc dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). When not preceding a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative. See this article. -
ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with its usual indirect (dative) object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during," and "with." With a direct (accusative) object, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during."
ἀγορᾷ [7 verses](noun pl fem dat) is agora, which means "an assembly," "place of assembly," and "marketplace. "
αθημένοις [13 verses](part pl perf mid masc dat) "Sitting" is kathemai, which means "to sit," "to be seated," "to sit still," "to sit quiet," "to reside," and "to be placed."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
προσφωνοῦσιν [2 verses](part pl pres act neut nom) "Calling" is from prosphoneo, which means to "call or speak to," "address," " call by name," "issue directions or orders," "pronounce," "utter" and "make a report." This is not the common word for "call."
ἀλλήλοις, [14 verses](adj pl masc dat) "One to another" is allelon, which means "one another," "to one another," "mutually," and "reciprocally." "
ἃ [294 verses] (pron pl neut acc) Untranslated is hos, which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "it," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
λέγει ‘[264 verses] (verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "Saying" is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." When used with an object is has the sense of "call by name." It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep." This word is more about making a statement than participating in a discussion. Translating is as "stated" might distinguish it better.
Ηὐλήσαμεν [2 verses](1st pl aor ind act) "We have piped" is from auleo, which means to "play on the flute," "fill with music," "play to (persons)," generally, "play," and, in the passive, "be played to," and "hear music."
ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The negative, οὐ, denies, is absolute, and objective.
ὠρχήσασθε: [2 verses](2nd pl aor ind mp) "Ye have...danced" is from orcheomai, which means, "to make to dance," and in the passive, "to dance", "to represent by dancing or pantomime," metaph., "to leap."
ἐθρηνήσαμεν [3 verses](1st pl aor ind act) "Mourned" is from threneo, which means "to sing dirges," and "to bewail."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The negative, οὐ, denies, is absolute, and objective
κλαύσετε [8 verses](verb 2nd pl aor ind act) "Shall weep" is from klaio, which means "to weep", "to cry", "to lament," and "to wail."
The word used for "sitting" indicates being seated in a place of authority. This sense is strengthened by the phrase "in the marketplace" because the word for "marketplace" means "assembly". Being seated in an assembly is the definition of being in authority.
The word translated as "calling" also means "issuing orders", which is again consistent with the idea of authority here. As is the "sniff" exclamation that precedes it.
This verse combines that last part of Matthew 11:16 with all of Matthew 11:17. However, there are some changes in both structure and vocabulary. In both cases, the words don't quite mean how they are translated into English. The verb translated as "wept" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry". This verb is a different one than is used in Matthew, where a verb meaning "to beat" appeared.