11:9a

What then did you go out to see?: This rhetorical question is exactly the same as the rhetorical question in 11:8a. However, you may have to translate this rhetorical question slightly differently than the one in 11:8a. This is because the expected answer to the pair of rhetorical questions in 11:9a–b is “yes.”

11:9b

A prophet?: Some words from the previous sentence are implied but not repeated. It may be more natural in some languages to include some or all of the implied words. For example:

⌊Did you go to see⌋ a prophet?

This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that they did go out to see a prophet.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. Your translation should imply that the expected answer was “Yes, they went out to see a prophet.” For example:

⌊Did you go to see⌋ a prophet?
-or-

⌊You went out to see⌋ a prophet, ⌊right⌋?

• As a statement. For example:

⌊You certainly did go to see⌋ a prophet.
-or-

⌊It was⌋ a prophet ⌊whom you went out to see⌋.

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

prophet: See how you translated this word in 1:22 or 10:41a. Also see prophet in the Glossary for further information.

11:9c

Yes, I tell you: The word Yes shows what is the expected answer to the rhetorical question in 11:9b. The words I tell you emphasize the following statement.

Here are some other ways to show this emphasis:

• As a phrase before Jesus’ statement. For example:

Let me tell you (God’s Word)

• As an emphatic word within Jesus’ statement. For example:

He is certainly more than a prophet

more than a prophet: The words more than a prophet mean that John was not only a prophet, he was greater than all the other prophets. Among the Jews, the highest religious position a man could have was to be called a prophet. So Jesus’ statement showed that John was indeed a very important person.

In Malachi 3:1, it was prophesied that a messenger would come to prepare the way of the Lord. That messenger was John. John was the only prophet who had that privilege. Because of that, he was greater than all the other prophets.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

John is more than a prophet (New Century Version)
-or-
he is greater/higher than a prophet

-or-

the prophet you saw is greater than the other prophets

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