And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

And Jesus said unto them, Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

To whom he said: Can you make the children of the bridegroom fast, whilst the bridegroom is with them?

And he said to them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast when the bridegroom is with them?

And he said to them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

And he said unto them, 'Are ye able to make the sons of the bride-chamber, in the bridegroom being with them, to fast?

And he said to them, Can you make the children of the bridal chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

"Can you compel the bridal party to fast," replied Jesus, "so long as they have the bridegroom among them?

And Jesus said, Are you able to make the friends of the newly-married man go without food when he is with them?

And he said to them: "How can you cause the sons of the groom to fast, while the groom is still with them?

But Jesus answered them, "Can you make the groom's friends fast while the groom is with them?

(7) And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
(7) Laws generally made without any consideration of circumstances; for fasting and other things of like sort are not only tyrannous but very harmful to the Church.

And he said unto them,.... The disciples of John, or the Scribes and Pharisees:
can ye make the children of the bride chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? signifying, that he was the bridegroom, and his disciples the children of the bride chamber; and that as it is unreasonable to expect, and morally impossible, that persons, attending the festivals of a nuptial solemnity, should be engaged in severe fastings; so it was not to be thought, that whilst Christ was corporeally present with his disciples, that they should be prevailed upon to live such an austere and mortified life.

Can ye make - That is, is it proper to make men fast and mourn, during a festival solemnity?