Luke 11:31

“The queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something greater than Solomon is here.”
Luke 11:31 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

The queenβασίλισσαof the Southνότουwill be raisedἐγερθήσεταιatἐνthe judgmentτῇ κρίσειwithμετὰthe menτῶν ἀνδρῶνof thisτῆς ταύτηςgenerationγενεᾶςandκαὶcondemnκατακρινεῖthem,αὐτούςbecauseὅτιshe cameἦλθενfromἐκthe endsτῶν περάτωνof the earthτῆς γῆςto hearἀκοῦσαιthe wisdomτὴν σοφίανof Solomon,Σολομῶνοςandκαὶlook,ἰδοὺsomething greaterπλεῖονthan SolomonΣολομῶνοςishere.ὧδε

Allusion · 1 Kings 10:1-13

Go to 1 Kings 10:1-13

Both texts speak of the queen who came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon; 1 Kings 10 calls her the queen of Sheba.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

βασίλισσαbasilissaG938מַלְכַּתmalkatH4436“queen”
σοφίανsophianG4678חָכְמַתjajmatH2451“wisdom”
ΣολομῶνοςSolomōnosG4672שְׁלֹמֹהshelomoH8010“Solomon”
ἀκοῦσαιakousaiG191שֹׁמַעַתshomaatH8085“hear, listen”

Luke 11:31, word by word

The queenβασίλισσαbasilissa

queen

Queen.

Where else “basilissa” appears

of the Southνότουnotou

south

The direction of the sun at midday, and the lands on that side.

Where else “notou” appears

will be raisedἐγερθήσεταιegerthēsetai

raise

To come back to life after death.

Where else “egerthēsetai” appears

the judgmentκρίσειkrisei

judgment

A judge's sentence; above all, the one God will give at the end.

Where else “krisei” appears

the menἀνδρῶνandrōn

man

An adult male, as distinct from a woman or a child.

Where else “andrōn” appears

generationγενεᾶςgeneas

generation

Generation: the people born around the same time, or each step from parent to child in a family.

Where else “geneas” appears

condemnκατακρινεῖkatakrinei

condemn

Condemn, pass sentence against someone.

Where else “katakrinei” appears

she cameἦλθενēlthen

come

To move to where someone is or to a place, and be present there.

Where else “ēlthen” appears

the endsπεράτωνperatōn

ends

The farthest reaches of the earth.

Where else “peratōn” appears

of the earthγῆςgēs

earth

The whole earth under heaven, where human beings live.

Where else “gēs” appears

to hearἀκοῦσαιakousai

hear

To perceive a sound, a voice or words with the ears.

Where else “akousai” appears

the wisdomσοφίανsophian

wisdom

Wisdom.

Where else “sophian” appears

of SolomonΣολομῶνοςSolomōnos

Solomon

Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, the king of Israel who built the temple.

Where else “Solomōnos” appears

something greaterπλεῖονpleion

Abundantly, often, or to a still higher degree.

Where else “pleion” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The sign of Jonah

Matthew 12:38-42

A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.

See them side by side

Luke 11:29-32

²⁹And as the crowds were gathering, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man also be one to this generation. ³¹The queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look, something greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah, and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

Matthew 12:38-42

³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” ³⁹But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ⁴⁰For just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is here.

The context

30For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man also be one to this generation.

31 · This verse (above)

32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah, and look, something greater than Jonah is here.

Read all of Luke 11

To study Luke 11 in a group

1. What it says
When the disciples ask to be taught to pray, what does Jesus tell them to say, and what stories does he add? (vv. 1-13)
2. What it means
Jesus says “ask, seek, knock” and compares God to a father who gives good gifts. What does that teach about what God is like? (vv. 9-13)
3. How I live it
What concrete thing would you like to ask God today, with the trust a child has when speaking to a father?

How to use it