Luke 7 32

Luke 7:32 kjv

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 nkjv

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not weep.'

Luke 7:32 niv

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.'

Luke 7:32 esv

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'

Luke 7:32 nlt

They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 'We played wedding songs,
and you didn't dance,
so we played funeral songs,
and you didn't weep.'

Luke 7 verses

Luke 7 32 Meaning

Luke 7:32 depicts "this generation," primarily referring to the religious leaders and others who rejected both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, through a parable. They are compared to uncooperative children in a marketplace who refuse to participate in any game, regardless of its nature. Neither the joyous melody of a flute (symbolizing Jesus' message of grace, feasting, and the Kingdom's arrival) nor the mournful lament of a dirge (representing John's ascetic message of repentance and judgment) provoked a fitting response from them. This illustrates their spiritual indifference and unwavering resistance to God's divine revelation, finding fault with every approach.

Luke 7 32 Context

Luke 7:32 falls within a broader section (Luke 7:18-35) where Jesus discusses the contrasting ministries of John the Baptist and Himself. Prior to this verse, Jesus has affirmed John's unique role as the forerunner (Luke 7:24-28). Luke 7:29-30 then describes the differing responses to John: "All the people and the tax collectors, when they heard this, acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him." This sets the stage for Jesus' assessment in verses 31-35.

Historically and culturally, the "marketplace" (agora) was the heart of ancient city life – a bustling public square for commerce, social gatherings, legal proceedings, and informal education. Children often played common games there, imitating adult life, including marriage festivities (dancing to flute music) and funeral lamentations (weeping to dirges). The core message of the verse is that this "generation," specifically the resistant religious elite, acted like stubborn, inconsistent children who would not play any game, irrespective of its tune. They were not responsive to either the ascetic call to repentance by John or the joyous proclamation of the Kingdom by Jesus, finding fault with both styles, ultimately rejecting God's purposes for them.

Luke 7 32 Word analysis

• They are like (ὁμόιοι, homoioi): Signifies a direct comparison or analogy, stating that the generation's behavior mirrors that of these children. It highlights a characteristic similarity.
• children (παιδίοις, paidiois): In this context, "children" symbolizes inconsistency, caprice, immaturity, and uncooperativeness, not innocence or humility. It underscores their unwillingness to adapt or respond appropriately.
• sitting (καθημένοις, kathemenois): Implies a passive, idle, and observational stance, rather than active participation or engagement. They are present but refuse to engage.
• in the marketplace (ἐν ἀγορᾷ, en agorai): The public square; a place of social interaction, activity, and accessibility. The divine call was publicly accessible, yet ignored.
• and calling (προσεφωνοῦσιν, prosephōnousin): Denotes an audible appeal or invitation, emphasizing that the messengers (John and Jesus) actively initiated contact and extended clear invitations.
• to one another (ἀλλήλοις, allēlois): The children's internal play acting; represents God's messengers acting out a role or scenario of invitation.
• ‘We played the flute for you (Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, Ēulēsamen hymin): Playing a wind instrument for festive occasions, such as weddings. Symbolizes the joyous, celebratory aspect of Jesus' message and the Kingdom's arrival, inviting rejoicing and dancing (a metaphorical embrace of the message).
• and you did not dance (καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε, kai ouk ōrchēsasthe): A refusal to join in joy or celebration. Signifies an unwillingness to embrace the good news, salvation, and the freedom offered by Christ's ministry.
• we sang a dirge (ἐθρηνήσαμεν, ethrēnēsamen): To sing a funeral lament, expressing sorrow, grief, and mourning. Symbolizes the somber call to repentance, judgment, and recognition of sin, like John the Baptist's preaching.
• and you did not weep’ (καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε, kai ouk ekopsasthe): A refusal to mourn or show sorrow. Signifies a hard heart that is unresponsive to conviction, repentance, or the seriousness of their spiritual condition.
• We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep: This phrase-group directly juxtaposes two opposing moods and activities (joyful celebration vs. mournful lamentation) and the consistent negative response. It exposes the spiritual blindness and obstinate refusal of "this generation" to respond appropriately to God's overtures, regardless of whether the message called for rejoicing (Jesus) or repentance/mourning (John). Their problem was not the message's nature but their own unyielding will.

Luke 7 32 Bonus section

The phrase "this generation" often carries negative connotations in the Gospels, referring to the unbelieving and often hostile segment of the Jewish populace, especially their leadership, during Jesus' earthly ministry. This parable also implicitly emphasizes God's patience and persistent efforts to reach His people, using varied approaches (John's austerity, Jesus' openness) to call them to repentance and faith. It reveals that the fault lies not with God or His messengers, but with the unresponsive, critical, and unyielding hearts of those who reject Him. This highlights the dangers of spiritual apathy and hypocritical self-righteousness.

Luke 7 32 Commentary

Luke 7:32 powerfully critiques "this generation," particularly the resistant religious leaders, by portraying their spiritual perversity. Jesus uses a common scene—children playing in a public square—to expose a profound spiritual truth. The analogy highlights the inconsistency and arbitrary nature of their rejection. When the messengers presented a joyous message (like a wedding feast), they refused to dance; when a somber call to repentance came (like a funeral dirge), they refused to weep. They were not against one specific aspect of God's call, but rather opposed to any call from God that required a change of heart or yielded control. They accused John of being demon-possessed because he was ascetic and did not conform to their social norms, and then called Jesus a glutton and a drunkard because He came eating and drinking and fellowshipping with sinners. Their refusal stemmed from a hardened heart and a self-righteous attitude that would not acknowledge sin, nor God’s redemptive plan presented through His diverse messengers. It underscores the universal human tendency to resist God's will when it challenges self-interest or comfortable traditions.