Matthew 11:16 (ASV)

Passage

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows

Nearby Context

Matthew 11:14 And if ye are willing to receive [it,] this is Elijah, that is to come.

Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows

Matthew 11:17 and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whereunto", "shall", "liken", "generation", "children", "sitting", and "marketplaces". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whereunto" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "He that hath ears to hear let..." into verse 17's "and say We piped unto you and...", so "whereunto" and "shall" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "whereunto" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.