VERSE STUDY • KJV

Matthew 21:16

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

BSB Berean Standard Bible

“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

WEB World English Bible

and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’”

ASV American Standard Version

and said unto him, Hearest thou what these are saying? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

and they said to him, ‘Hearest thou what these say?’ And Jesus saith to them, ‘Yes, did ye never read, that, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou didst prepare praise?’

Surrounding context — Matthew 21

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

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Original-language word links

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Cross-references

Psalm 8:2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.Luke 19:39-40And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.Matthew 19:4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female,Matthew 12:3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;Mark 2:25And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?Acts 4:16-18Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them [is] manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny [it].Matthew 22:31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,John 11:47-48Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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