Paragraph 11:16–19
In this paragraph, Jesus compared the people of his generation to children playing in the market. The people of that generation criticized John’s harsh lifestyle and did not respond to his message. They also criticized Jesus’ joyous lifestyle and did not respond to his message. They were like children who refused to dance to happy songs, but they also refused to mourn to sad songs. They were never satisfied. They rejected both John and Jesus.
11:16a
Verse 11:16a begins a new topic. The Greek introduces this new topic with a conjunction that is often translated as “but.” However, there is no contrast here. In most languages, it will be better to begin this paragraph without the word “but,” as the Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions do.
To what can I compare this generation?: This is a rhetorical question. It is the type of rhetorical question that a teacher asks a class. The teacher knows the answer, but he asks the class this type of question to make them think about the issue. Here Jesus also used this question to introduce a new topic.
Be careful not to translate this in a way that would imply that Jesus was searching for an answer to his question. Jesus himself gave the answer in 11:16b–17.
Here are some other ways to translate this rhetorical question:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
What/Whom shall I compare this generation to?
• As a statement. For example:
Here is what I would compare this generation to:
Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is natural in your language.
this generation: This phrase refers to all the people who lived at the same time as Jesus.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the people of this day (Good News Translation)
-or-
the people who are living now (God’s Word)
11:16b
They are like: The pronoun They refers to “this generation.” In some languages, it will be more natural to say:
This generation is like
children sitting in the marketplaces: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as marketplaces refers to a large, open area where people came to buy and sell things. There was room for children to play there. It was a place where many public events happened.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
market (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
public/village square
-or-
middle of the village
11:16c
calling out: The words calling out refer to speaking loudly so that people some distance away can hear. Some English versions translate this word as “shout,” but it is not the type of shout that angry people do. Here it is more of a complaint.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
call out (NET Bible)
-or-
complain (New Living Translation (2004))
to others: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to others refers to the other children who were there. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
to the others
-or-
to their friends (New Living Translation (2004))
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