Luke Chapter 12 verse 56 Holy Bible
Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?
read chapter 12 in ASV
O false ones! the face of the earth and the heaven is clear to you; how is it that the signs of these times are not as clear to you?
read chapter 12 in BBE
Hypocrites, ye know how to judge of the appearance of the earth and of the heaven; how [is it then that] ye do not discern this time?
read chapter 12 in DARBY
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
read chapter 12 in KJV
read chapter 12 in WBT
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?
read chapter 12 in WEB
hypocrites! the face of the earth and of the heaven ye have known to make proof of, but this time -- how do ye not make proof of `it'?
read chapter 12 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 56. - Ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? These things had an interest for them. Heat and drought, wind and rain, affected materially the prospect of their wheat-harvest and vintage, the fruitfulness of their orchards and oliveyards, therefore they gave their whole mind to the watching of the weather; but to the awful signs of the time in which they were living they were blind and deaf. What were these signs? (1) The low state of morality among public men. Did none of them notice how utterly corrupt were priests and scribes and people, how hollow and meaningless their boasted religious rites, how far removed from them was the presence of the God of their fathers? (2) Political situation. Did none of them notice the terribly strained relations between the Roman or Herodian, and the great national party? Were they blind to the bitter, irreconcilable hatred to mighty Rome which was seething scarcely beneath the surface of Jewish society? Were they deaf to the rumbling noises which too surely heralded a fierce and bloody war between little Palestine, split up into parties and sects, and the mighty world of Rome which had seized them in its own grip? What could be the result of such a war? Were they devoid of reason as well as blind and deaf? (3) Heavenly warnings. What had they done with John the Baptist? Many in Israel knew that man was indeed a great prophet of the Lord. His burning words had penetrated far and wide; vast crowds had heard the awful sounds with breathless awe; but no one heeded, and the people watched him die. And now - they had listened to him who was speaking to them. He had told them all; no sign of power was wanting to his ministry, and it was just over, and the people had not repented.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(56) How is it that ye do not discern this time?--What had been said before to Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:3) is here repeated with a wider application. It was true of the people, as of their teachers, that they did not discern the true import of the time, the season, the crisis in which they found themselves. It was "the time of their visitation" (see Note on Luke 19:44), and yet they knew it not.
