And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
And while the people were waiting, and all men were questioning in their hearts about John, if he was the Christ or not,
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts concerning John, whether he was the Christ, or not;
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;
Whether he were the Christ - So general was the reformation which was produced by the Baptist's preaching that the people were ready to consider him as the promised Messiah. Thus John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and reformed all things; showed the people, the tax-gatherers, and the soldiers, their respective duties, and persuaded them to put away the evil of their doings. See the note on Matthew 17:11.
In expectation - Expecting the Messiah. Margin, "suspense." That is, they were not certain whether John was not himself the Messiah. They confidently "expected" his appearing, and there minds were in "suspense," or they were in a state of doubt whether he had not already come, and whether John was not the Messiah.
Mused in their hearts of John - Thought of his character, his preaching, and his success, and anxiously inquired whether he did not do the things which were expected of the Messiah.