11:18a

For: In verses 11:18–19, Jesus explained his comparison in 11:16–17. The generation of people in Jesus’ time were like children because they did not want to follow John or Jesus. In Greek, this explanation is introduced with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Here are some other ways to introduce this explanation:

⌊They can be compared to them⌋ because
-or-

⌊They are just like those children⌋ because
-or-
In the same way

John came: Here the word came is used in a general way to describe the time when John was preaching in the wilderness. It introduces the way John usually lived. It does not indicate that John “came” to a particular place.

In some languages, a literal translation may imply a wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, here are some other ways to translate this:

John had the custom of
-or-

⌊during the ministry⌋ of John
-or-
John came ⌊and was doing God’s work⌋

neither eating: There are two ways to interpret the clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as neither eating:

(1) John did not eat normal, good food. According to 3:4c, he ate locusts and wild honey. Furthermore, he did not go to feasts and parties where people spent a lot of time eating fancy food. Pleasures and comforts like food were not important to him. For example:

did not eat…like other people (New Century Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) John did not eat food very often. This means that he frequently fasted. For example:

he fasted (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (1996))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Many Jews fasted, so it is unlikely that they would have thought that John “had a demon” (11:18b) because he fasted.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

did not feast
-or-
did not eat good food
-or-
did not eat well
-or-
didn’t spend his time eating (New Living Translation (2004))

nor drinking: The word drinking refers to “drinking wine.” (See Luke 7:33 where the word “wine” is explicit in the text.) For example:

didn’t drink wine (New Living Translation (1996))

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Use a general word for alcoholic beverages. For example:

did not drink alcohol

• Use a common alcoholic beverage that is used in a general sense in your area. For example:

not drink millet beer
-or-
not drink palm wine
-or-
not drink something like palm wine

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

not drink fermented grape juice

The Jews allowed drinking wine, but drinking too much and getting drunk was considered wrong. John never drank any wine, as Luke 1:15 explains. This was unusual for a Jew.

11:18b

and: Verse 11:18b is a result of the people seeing John’s way of life (in 11:18a). The people rejected John’s message and so made wrong statements about him.

Here are some other ways to begin this part of the verse:

So (New Century Version)
-or-
and as a result

they say, ‘He has a demon!’: This clause means that the people were saying that John was possessed by a demon.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

He’s possessed by a demon. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
That man has a demon in him! (Contemporary English Version)

This clause shows that the people rejected John. The saying ‘He has a demon’ is a lie. If people in your area will think that ‘He has a demon’ is true about John, you may want to make the text more clear. For example:

they ⌊rejected John⌋ saying, ‘He has a demon’

-or-

they ⌊falsely⌋ said, ‘He has a demon’

demon: Another way to translate this word is:

evil spirit

For more help in translating the word demon, see the note under 7:22c.

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