Matthew 11:18 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) For when John came, he did not eat or drink [on festive occasions] and people said, ‘He is dominated by an evil spirit.’ More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition For John came neither eating nor drinking [with others], and they say, He has a demon! American Standard Version (1901) For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon. Common English Bible For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ Catholic Public Domain Version For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say, 'He has a demon.' Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil. |
A disciple is doing well if he can be [as good] as his teacher, and the slave [as good] as his master. If they have called the master of the house [i.e., Jesus] Beelzebub [i.e., the chief of evil spirits. See Mark 3:22], how much more [likely] will they call members of his household [i.e., the disciples] the same thing!
‘We [pretended like we] were making music [at a wedding] but you did not dance; we [pretended like we] were wailing [at a funeral] but you did not beat your chest [in mourning].’
Now John dressed in clothing made of camel’s hair and he wore a leather belt around his waist; he ate grasshoppers and wild honey [i.e., for his regular diet].
But the Pharisees said, “He is driving out evil spirits by [the power of] the chief of evil spirits.”
And the experts in the Law of Moses who had come down from Jerusalem were saying [Note: This followed the incident of Jesus healing a man with an evil spirit. See Matt. 12:22-28], “He has Beelzebub [in him],” and “He is driving out evil spirits by [the power of] the chief of evil spirits.”
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will not drink any wine or intoxicating drinks [Note: This restriction suggests that John may have taken the special vow of consecration making him a “Nazarite”]. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born.
Many of them said, “This man is dominated by an evil spirit; he is crazy, why listen to him?”
[Someone from] the crowd answered, “You have an evil spirit [in you]; who is trying to kill you?”
The Jews answered and said to Jesus, “Were we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan [See note on 4:9], and are dominated by an evil spirit?”
The Jews [i.e., the authorities] replied, “Now we know that you are dominated by an evil spirit. Abraham and the prophets [all] died and [yet] you are saying, ‘If a person obeys my message, he will never experience death.’
As Paul made his defense in this way, Festus said to him loudly, “Paul, you are crazy. All your education is driving you insane.”
But I work out and get my body in shape [i.e., spiritually], so that after preaching to other people, I myself do not become disqualified [i.e., for winning the prize from God. See verse 24].