The Meaning of Luke 11:29 Explained

Luke 11:29

KJV: And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

YLT: And the multitudes crowding together upon him, he began to say, 'This generation is evil, a sign it doth seek after, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

Darby: But as the crowds thronged together, he began to say, This generation is a wicked generation: it seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it but the sign of Jonas.

ASV: And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, he began to say, This generation is an evil generation: it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah.

What is the context of Luke 11:29?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when the people  were gathered thick together,  he began  to say,  This  is  an evil  generation:  they seek  a sign;  and  there shall  no  sign  be given  it,  but  the sign  of Jonas  the prophet. 

What does Luke 11:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 11:27-32 - "the Sign Of Jonah"
What a tribute this woman paid our Lord! He was full of grace as well as truth; and those who, with unbiased and unprejudiced minds, saw Him moving among men, were constrained to confess His inimitable beauty. Notice that the simplest soul that hears and obeys God's Word is equally beatified with His mother, Luke 11:28.
Men will be judged by the opportunities they have had. Every age and every race and every individual on which the sun has ever shone has had a chance. Not our chance, but a chance suited to the spiritual vision of each, John 1:9; Romans 1:20; Romans 2:5, etc. So God will be able to judge all men. But in how many cases will they who have not had our advantages be found in a higher class in the great University of Heaven than some of us who have lived amid the light of Christ! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 11

1  Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11  assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him
14  He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27  and shows who are blessed;
29  preaches to the people;
37  and reprimands the outward show of holiness

Greek Commentary for Luke 11:29

Were gathering together unto him [επατροιζομενων]
Genitive absolute present middle participle of επατροιζω — epathroizō a rare verb, Plutarch and here only in the N.T., from επι — epi and ατροιζω — athroizō (a common enough verb). It means to throng together Vivid picture of the crowds around Jesus. [source]
But the sign of Jonah [ει μη το σημειον Ιωνα]
Luke does not give here the burial and resurrection of Jesus of which Jonah‘s experience in the big fish was a type (Matthew 12:39), but that is really implied (Plummer argues) by the use here of “shall be given” (δοτησεται — dothēsetai) and “shall be” (εσται — estai), for the resurrection of Jesus is still future. The preaching of Jesus ought to have been sign enough as in the case of Jonah, but the resurrection will be given. Luke‘s report is much briefer and omits what is in Matthew 12:41. [source]
Were gathered thick together [ἐπαθροιζομένων]
The present participle; and therefore, as Rev., were gathering together unto him, or upon him ( ἐπιί ). Only here in New Testament. [source]
Evil []
See on adulterous. Matthew 12:39. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 11:29

Luke 11:32 At the preaching of Jonah [εις το κηρυγμα Ιωνα]
Note this use of εις — eis as in Matthew 10:41; Matthew 12:41. Luke inserts the words about the Queen of the South (Luke 11:31) in between the discussion of Jonah (Luke 11:29., Luke 11:32). Both Σολομωνος — Solomōnos (Luke 11:31) and Ιωνα — Iōnā (Luke 11:32) are in the ablative case after the comparative πλειον — pleion (more, something more). [source]
Acts 2:14 Lifted up his voice [επηρεν την πωνην αυτου]
This phrase only in Luke in the N.T. (Luke 11:29; Acts 2:14; Acts 14:11; Acts 22:22), but is common in the old writers. First aorist active indicative of επαιρω — epairō The large crowd and the confusion of tongues demanded loud speaking. “This most solemn, earnest, yet sober speech” (Bengel). Codex Bezae adds “first” after “voice.” Peter did it to win and hold attention. Give ear unto my words (ενωτισαστε τα ρηματα μου — enōtisasthe ta rhēmata mou). Late verb in lxx and only here in the N.T. First aorist middle from ενωτιζομαι — enōtizomai (εν ους — enous ear) to give ear to, receive into the ear. People‘s ears differ greatly, but in public speech they have to be reached through the ear. That puts an obligation on the speaker and also on the auditors who should sit where they can hear with the ears which they have, an obligation often overlooked. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 11:29 mean?

Of the now crowds being pressed around together He began to say The generation this an evil is a sign it seeks after and a sign not will be given to it if not the sign of Jonah
Τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν γενεὰ αὕτη πονηρά ἐστιν σημεῖον ζητεῖ καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ

Τῶν  Of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὄχλων  crowds 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ὄχλος  
Sense: a crowd.
ἐπαθροιζομένων  being  pressed  around  together 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἐπαθροίζω  
Sense: to gather together (to others already present).
ἤρξατο  He  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
λέγειν  to  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
γενεὰ  generation 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γενεά  
Sense: fathered, birth, nativity.
αὕτη  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
πονηρά  an  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: πονηρός  
Sense: full of labours, annoyances, hardships.
σημεῖον  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
ζητεῖ  it  seeks  after 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ζητέω  
Sense: to seek in order to find.
σημεῖον  a  sign 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
δοθήσεται  will  be  given 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
αὐτῇ  to  it 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
σημεῖον  sign 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: σημεῖον  
Sense: a sign, mark, token.
Ἰωνᾶ  of  Jonah 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωνᾶς  
Sense: the fifth minor prophet, the son of Amittai, and a native of Gath-hepher and lived during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel.