Luke / Chapter 10

Luke 10

42 verses • SBL Greek New Testament

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Luke 10 opens with Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples on a broader mission, paralleling but expanding the commissioning of the Twelve in chapter 9. The chapter contains the famous parable of the Good Samaritan — Jesus's answer to the question 'Who is my neighbor?' — which redefines love of neighbor by making a despised outsider the moral hero. The chapter closes with the contrasting portraits of Martha and Mary in Bethany, where Jesus affirms that attentive listening to his word is the 'one thing needed.' Between these memorable narratives, Jesus rejoices in the Spirit, pronounces blessings on the disciples for what they see and hear, and reveals the intimate mutual knowledge between Father and Son.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

The sending of the seventy-two (or seventy, depending on the manuscript tradition) likely alludes to the seventy elders of Israel (Numbers 11:16-25) or the seventy nations of Genesis 10, suggesting a mission that extends beyond Israel. The Good Samaritan parable is uniquely Lukan and is one of the most culturally influential stories in Western civilization. Its placement as the answer to 'Who is my neighbor?' transforms a question about the limits of obligation into a challenge about becoming the kind of person who shows mercy. The Mary and Martha story, also unique to Luke, elevates the role of women as disciples who learn at a rabbi's feet — a radical social claim in the first century.

Translation Friction

The number seventy-two versus seventy is a well-known textual variant; the SBLGNT reads seventy-two (hebdomēkonta duo). The lawyer's question in v. 25 uses ekpeirazon ('testing'), a verb with hostile overtones, yet Jesus engages him seriously. The Samaritan parable would have been profoundly offensive to a Jewish audience — making a Samaritan the moral exemplar over a priest and a Levite was a deliberate provocation. The Martha/Mary episode has been read as privileging contemplation over action, but Luke's point is more nuanced: Martha's distraction (periespato) is the problem, not her service (diakonia) itself.

Connections

The commissioning echoes and expands the Twelve's mission (Luke 9:1-6). Jesus's rejoicing in the Spirit (v. 21) connects to his programmatic Spirit-anointing in Luke 4:18. The Good Samaritan parable reinterprets Leviticus 19:18 ('love your neighbor as yourself') and draws on the Samaritan theme Luke has been developing (9:52-56). The Mary/Martha story anticipates the theme of faithful hearing that runs through Luke's Travel Narrative. The woe oracles over Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum echo Old Testament prophetic judgment oracles.

Luke 10:1

Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀνέδειξεν ὁ κύριος ἑτέρους ἑβδομήκοντα δύο καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο δύο πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ τόπον οὗ ἤμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

KJV After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The textual variant between 'seventy' and 'seventy-two' (hebdomēkonta duo) is one of the most debated in Luke. The SBLGNT reads seventy-two. Seventy may allude to the elders appointed by Moses (Numbers 11:16-25), while seventy-two may reflect the number of nations in the Septuagint's version of Genesis 10, suggesting a universal mission scope. Sending in pairs follows the Old Testament principle that testimony requires two witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Numbers 11:16-25. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 10. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
  4. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Deuteronomy 19:15. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
Luke 10:2

ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.

He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

KJV Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The harvest metaphor draws on Old Testament prophetic imagery where harvest represents God's gathering of people (cf. Joel 3:13, Isaiah 27:12). The verb ekbalē ('to throw out, to send out forcefully') is surprisingly strong — the same word used for casting out demons. God must thrust workers into the field; they will not go on their own initiative.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Joel 3:13. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Isaiah 27:12. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
Luke 10:3

ὑπάγετε· ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς ἄρνας ἐν μέσῳ λύκων.

Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

KJV Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The image of lambs (arnas) among wolves is more vulnerable than Matthew's 'sheep' (probata, Matt 10:16). Lambs are younger, weaker, more defenseless. The present tense apostellō ('I am sending') conveys immediacy. The mission is deliberately risky — Jesus does not promise safety but commissions them into danger.
Luke 10:4

μὴ βαστάζετε βαλλάντιον, μὴ πήραν, μὴ ὑποδήματα, καὶ μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀσπάσησθε.

Carry no money bag, no traveler's bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

KJV Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The prohibition against greeting people on the road does not reflect rudeness but urgency — Near Eastern greetings were elaborate, time-consuming social rituals. Elisha gave the same instruction to Gehazi (2 Kings 4:29). The three prohibited items (purse, bag, sandals) strip the missionaries of all provision and self-sufficiency, forcing reliance on God's provision through hospitality.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes 2 Kings 4:29. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
Luke 10:5

εἰς ἣν δ' ἂν εἰσέλθητε οἰκίαν, πρῶτον λέγετε· Εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ.

Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'

KJV And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The greeting eirēnē tō oikō toutō ('peace to this house') reflects the Hebrew shalom greeting. In this context, it is not merely a pleasantry but a performative blessing — the peace carried by the messengers of the kingdom is an actual spiritual reality that can rest on a household or return to the messenger (v. 6).
Luke 10:6

καὶ ἐὰν ἐκεῖ ᾖ υἱὸς εἰρήνης, ἐπαναπαήσεται ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν· εἰ δὲ μή γε, ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀνακάμψει.

If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person. But if not, it will return to you.

KJV And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The Semitic expression huios eirēnēs ('son of peace') means a person characterized by peace, one who is receptive to the kingdom message. The concept of peace as a quasi-physical force that can 'rest on' someone or 'return' to the sender reflects the Hebrew understanding of a spoken blessing as having real power — a word once released either finds its target or comes back.
Luke 10:7

ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ μένετε ἐσθίοντες καὶ πίνοντες τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν· ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτοῦ. μὴ μεταβαίνετε ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν.

Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move from house to house.

KJV And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The principle 'the worker deserves his wages' (axios ho ergatēs tou misthou autou) establishes that hospitality for kingdom workers is not charity but fair compensation for spiritual labor. Paul quotes this saying as authoritative in 1 Timothy 5:18, placing it on the level of Scripture. The prohibition against moving between houses prevents the appearance of seeking luxury or playing hosts against each other.
Luke 10:8

καὶ εἰς ἣν ἂν πόλιν εἰσέρχησθε καὶ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐσθίετε τὰ παρατιθέμενα ὑμῖν

Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you.

KJV And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The instruction to eat 'what is set before you' (ta paratithemena hymin) may have significance beyond mere hospitality — for Jewish missionaries entering Gentile or Samaritan homes, this could mean eating food not prepared according to Jewish dietary laws. If so, the instruction anticipates the breaking down of food boundaries that becomes explicit in Acts 10.
Luke 10:9

καὶ θεραπεύετε τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ λέγετε αὐτοῖς· Ἤγγικεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.

Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

KJV And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The combination of healing and proclamation demonstrates that the kingdom of God is not merely a verbal announcement but a present reality that transforms bodies and communities. The perfect tense ēngiken ('has come near, has arrived') indicates a completed approach — the kingdom is not distant but has reached their doorstep through the messengers' presence and power.
Luke 10:10

εἰς ἣν δ' ἂν πόλιν εἰσέλθητε καὶ μὴ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐξελθόντες εἰς τὰς πλατείας αὐτῆς εἴπατε·

But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

KJV But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The public declaration in the streets (plateias, 'broad streets, public squares') transforms the rejection into a witnessed prophetic act. The messengers are not to slink away in shame but to make a formal, visible proclamation of judgment.
Luke 10:11

Καὶ τὸν κονιορτὸν τὸν κολληθέντα ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὑμῶν εἰς τοὺς πόδας ἀπομασσόμεθα ὑμῖν· πλὴν τοῦτο γινώσκετε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.

'Even the dust from your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. But know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'

KJV Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The dust-wiping gesture is more detailed here than in 9:5, with the addition of 'that clings to our feet' (ton kollēthenta hēmin ek tēs poleōs hymōn eis tous podas), emphasizing thoroughness of separation. The ironic twist is that the kingdom's nearness remains true regardless of the town's response — their rejection does not prevent God's reign from arriving, only their participation in it.
Luke 10:12

λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι Σοδόμοις ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ.

I tell you, on that day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.

KJV But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Sodom was the quintessential symbol of divine judgment in Jewish thought (Genesis 19). To say that any town's fate will be worse than Sodom's is the most severe warning imaginable. The logic is one of accountability: Sodom never received kingdom messengers with healing power, so rejecting such messengers incurs greater responsibility.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 19. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
Luke 10:13

Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν· οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ καθήμενοι μετενόησαν.

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

KJV Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Chorazin and Bethsaida were Galilean towns near Capernaum where Jesus had ministered extensively. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile coastal cities that the Old Testament prophets condemned (Isaiah 23, Ezekiel 26-28). The argument from lesser to greater is devastating: pagan cities under prophetic judgment would have repented if given what these Jewish towns received. Sackcloth and ashes were the traditional signs of mourning and repentance.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 23 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Ezekiel 26-28 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Luke 10:14

πλὴν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν τῇ κρίσει ἢ ὑμῖν.

But it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment, than it will be for you.

KJV But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase en tē krisei ('at the judgment') refers to the eschatological final judgment. Jesus implies graduated accountability — greater privilege brings greater responsibility and thus more severe judgment for rejection. The comparative anektoteron ('more bearable, more tolerable') suggests degrees of judgment rather than a uniform outcome.
Luke 10:15

καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως τοῦ ᾅδου καταβήσῃ.

And you, Capernaum — will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades.

KJV And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The language echoes Isaiah 14:13-15, the taunt against the king of Babylon who sought to ascend to heaven but was brought down to Sheol. Capernaum was Jesus's base of operations in Galilee (Luke 4:31) and had received more of his teaching and miracles than any other town. The Greek hadēs translates the Hebrew Sheol — the realm of the dead, not the later Christian concept of hell as a place of punishment.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Isaiah 14:13-15 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
Luke 10:16

Ὁ ἀκούων ὑμῶν ἐμοῦ ἀκούει, καὶ ὁ ἀθετῶν ὑμᾶς ἐμὲ ἀθετεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ ἀθετῶν ἀθετεῖ τὸν ἀποστείλαντά με.

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

KJV He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This verse establishes a chain of representation parallel to 9:48 but in the negative direction: messenger → Jesus → God. The verb athetōn ('rejects, sets aside, nullifies') is a legal term meaning to declare something invalid or to annul a contract. Rejecting the messengers is not merely a social offense but a rejection of divine authority. The sending language (ton aposteilanta me) affirms Jesus's own identity as the sent one of God.
Luke 10:17

Ὑπέστρεψαν δὲ οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα δύο μετὰ χαρᾶς λέγοντες· Κύριε, καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια ὑποτάσσεται ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!"

KJV And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The disciples' report focuses on demonic submission (hypotassetai, 'submit, are subject to') — the one result that most astonished them. Their joy is genuine but slightly misdirected, as Jesus will redirect their attention in v. 20. The phrase 'in your name' (en tō onomati sou) indicates they acted not by their own power but as authorized representatives of Jesus.
Luke 10:18

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἐθεώρουν τὸν σατανᾶν ὡς ἀστραπὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεσόντα.

He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

KJV And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The imperfect etheōroun ('I was watching, I kept seeing') suggests Jesus was observing in real time as the disciples were on their mission. The imagery of Satan falling like lightning combines the speed and brilliance of a lightning strike with the finality of a fall. This may allude to Isaiah 14:12 (the fall of the 'morning star') or may describe a visionary experience of Satan's cosmic defeat being enacted through the disciples' mission.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 14:12 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Luke 10:19

ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς οὐ μὴ ἀδικήσῃ.

Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will harm you in any way.

KJV Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The perfect tense dedōka ('I have given') indicates an accomplished and continuing gift. Snakes and scorpions function both literally (protection from physical danger) and symbolically (power over demonic forces, cf. the serpent of Genesis 3). The phrase pasan tēn dynamin tou echthrou ('all the power of the enemy') identifies Satan as 'the enemy' and declares his complete subordination to the authority Jesus delegates. The double negative ou mē ('by no means, absolutely not') is the strongest negation in Greek.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Genesis 3. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
Luke 10:20

πλὴν ἐν τούτῳ μὴ χαίρετε ὅτι τὰ πνεύματα ὑμῖν ὑποτάσσεται, χαίρετε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

KJV Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus redirects their joy from what they can do (power over spirits) to what God has done (inscribing their names in heaven). The perfect passive engegraptai ('have been written and remain written') indicates a permanent record. The image of names written in heaven draws on the Old Testament concept of God's book (Exodus 32:32-33, Daniel 12:1, Psalm 69:28). The point is that identity and security in God's eternal record matters more than spiritual power.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Exodus 32:32-33 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Daniel 12:1 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
  4. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Psalm 69:28 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
Luke 10:21

Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, πάτερ, κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις· ναί, ὁ πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως εὐδοκία ἐγένετο ἔμπροσθέν σου.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.

KJV In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Luke alone specifies that Jesus rejoiced 'in the Holy Spirit' (en tō pneumati tō hagiō), one of the rare moments where Jesus's own emotional experience is described in terms of the Spirit's activity. The verb ēgalliasato ('rejoiced greatly, exulted') denotes intense, exuberant joy. The prayer follows the Jewish todah (thanksgiving) form. The 'wise and intelligent' (sophōn kai synetōn) may refer to religious scholars whose learning becomes an obstacle, while 'infants' (nēpiois) represents the unlettered disciples whose openness allows revelation.
Luke 10:22

Πάντα μοι παρεδόθη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τίς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

KJV All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This verse, sometimes called the 'Johannine thunderbolt' because it sounds more like John's Gospel than the Synoptics, asserts mutual exclusive knowledge between Father and Son. The verb paredothē ('have been handed over') implies total delegation of authority. The claim of reciprocal knowing — only the Father knows the Son, only the Son knows the Father — places Jesus in a relationship with God that is unique and unparalleled. The Son's sovereign choice in revelation (boulētai, 'wills, chooses') makes him the sole mediator of knowledge of God.
Luke 10:23

Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς κατ' ἰδίαν εἶπεν· Μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε.

Then turning to the disciples privately, he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

KJV And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The beatitude form (makarioi, 'blessed, fortunate, to be envied') frames the disciples' experience as a supreme privilege. The physical turning (strapheis) signals a shift from public prayer to private instruction. The emphasis on seeing (ophthalmoi... blepontes... blepete) highlights the revelatory nature of the disciples' experience — they are witnessing what centuries of faithful people longed to see.
Luke 10:24

λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ βασιλεῖς ἠθέλησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ ὑμεῖς βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.

For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it."

KJV For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Luke says 'prophets and kings' where Matthew 13:17 says 'prophets and righteous people' — Luke's version may be more pointed, since kings like David and Solomon, despite their power and privilege, never witnessed the messianic fulfillment. The disciples, simple Galileans, are more privileged than Israel's greatest leaders. The parallel structure (see/did not see, hear/did not hear) creates a chiasm of privilege and longing.
Luke 10:25

Καὶ ἰδοὺ νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν λέγων· Διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;

Then a legal expert stood up to test him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

KJV And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The nomikos ('legal expert, lawyer') was an expert in the Torah, not a secular attorney. The verb ekpeirazōn ('testing, putting to the test') carries hostile undertones — this is an attempt to trap Jesus, not a sincere inquiry (though Jesus transforms it into genuine teaching). The question about inheriting eternal life assumes that eternal life is an inheritance, something received from a prior relationship rather than earned — a covenant concept.
Luke 10:26

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τί γέγραπται; πῶς ἀναγινώσκεις;

He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

KJV He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus's counter-question is a classic rabbinic technique — answering a question with a question that directs the questioner back to Scripture. The double question ('what is written?' and 'how do you read?') distinguishes between the text itself and the interpreter's understanding of it. As a Torah expert, the lawyer should already know the answer.
Luke 10:27

ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.

He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

KJV And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The lawyer combines the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:5) with Leviticus 19:18, joining love of God with love of neighbor into a single commandment. In Luke's account, it is the lawyer who produces this synthesis (in Mark 12:29-31, Jesus gives it). The fourfold formula (heart, soul, strength, mind) slightly expands the Hebrew original, with 'mind' (dianoia) added to the traditional three, perhaps reflecting the Septuagint tradition.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Deuteronomy 6:5. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Leviticus 19:18. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
Luke 10:28

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ· Ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης· τοῦτο ποίει καὶ ζήσῃ.

He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."

KJV And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus's response echoes Leviticus 18:5: 'Keep my statutes... by which, if a person does them, he will live.' The imperative 'do this' (touto poiei) shifts the conversation from theory to practice — knowing the right answer is not enough. The present tense poiei implies ongoing, habitual action, not a one-time performance.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Leviticus 18:5: — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Luke 10:29

ὁ δὲ θέλων δικαιῶσαι ἑαυτὸν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν· Καὶ τίς ἐστίν μου πλησίον;

But wanting to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

KJV But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase thelōn dikaiōsai heauton ('wanting to justify himself') reveals the lawyer's motivation — he seeks to define 'neighbor' narrowly enough that he can claim compliance. The question 'who is my neighbor?' asks for the limits of obligation: who can I legitimately exclude? Jesus's parable will invert the question entirely: instead of asking 'who qualifies as my neighbor?' the question becomes 'to whom am I willing to be a neighbor?'
Luke 10:30

ὑπολαβὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Ἄνθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἰεριχὼ καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν, οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες ἀπῆλθον ἀφέντες ἡμιθανῆ.

Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

KJV And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The Jerusalem-to-Jericho road descended about 3,400 feet over roughly seventeen miles through desolate, rocky terrain notorious for banditry. The word lēstais ('robbers, bandits') denotes violent criminals, not petty thieves (kleptai). The victim is deliberately left unidentified — no name, no ethnicity, no social status — so that the story cannot be limited to any particular group. Stripped and half dead, the man's identity cannot be determined by his clothing or speech, making the response to him purely a matter of mercy versus indifference.
Luke 10:31

κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν·

By coincidence, a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

KJV And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase kata synkyrian ('by coincidence') is used only here in the New Testament and frames the encounters as unplanned — this is not a setup but a test of character in an unexpected moment. The priest's avoidance (antiparēlthen, 'passed by on the opposite side') may have been motivated by purity concerns: contact with a corpse would render him ritually unclean (Leviticus 21:1-3), and the man appeared to be dead. However, Jesus's parable implies no excuse is adequate when a life hangs in the balance.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Leviticus 21:1-3. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
Luke 10:32

ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λευίτης κατὰ τὸν τόπον ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν.

Likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

KJV And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The Levite's behavior mirrors the priest's — seeing (idōn) and passing by (antiparēlthen). The Levites were a secondary priestly class who served in the temple. Together, priest and Levite represent the religious establishment of Israel. The pattern of two religious figures failing creates the expectation that the third character will be an ordinary Israelite who succeeds — making the Samaritan identity in verse 33 a deliberate shock.
Luke 10:33

Σαμαρίτης δέ τις ὁδεύων ἦλθεν κατ' αὐτὸν καὶ ἰδὼν ἐσπλαγχνίσθη,

But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him, and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.

KJV But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word esplanchnisthē ('was moved with compassion, felt it in his guts') is one of the strongest emotional verbs in Greek — it refers to a visceral, gut-level response. In the Gospels, this verb is used primarily of Jesus himself (7:13, 15:20). The Samaritan sees the same wounded man the priest and Levite saw, but his seeing produces a fundamentally different response. For a first-century Jewish audience, making a Samaritan the hero would have been deeply offensive — Samaritans were considered heretical half-breeds (cf. John 4:9, 8:48).
Luke 10:34

καὶ προσελθὼν κατέδησεν τὰ τραύματα αὐτοῦ ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον, ἐπιβιβάσας δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κτῆνος ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς πανδοχεῖον καὶ ἐπεμελήθη αὐτοῦ.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he placed him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

KJV And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The care is described in meticulous detail: approaching, bandaging, applying medicine (oil to soothe, wine to disinfect), mounting the man on his own animal (meaning the Samaritan walked), transporting him to an inn, and personally nursing him. Each action represents a personal cost — time, supplies, transportation, and the risk of being a Samaritan caring for a possibly Jewish stranger in hostile territory. The pandocheion ('inn') was a commercial establishment, not private hospitality.
Luke 10:35

καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον ἐκβαλὼν ἔδωκεν δύο δηνάρια τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι.

The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'

KJV And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Two denarii represented about two days' wages for a laborer and could cover roughly two weeks of lodging and food. The Samaritan's open-ended promise — 'whatever more you spend, I will repay' — represents an unlimited financial commitment to a stranger. The verb prosdapanēsēs ('spend in addition') indicates he expects the care to exceed the initial payment. The promise to return creates ongoing accountability.
Luke 10:36

τίς τούτων τῶν τριῶν πλησίον δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι τοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς τοὺς λῃστάς;

Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"

KJV Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus's question brilliantly inverts the lawyer's original question. The lawyer asked 'who is my neighbor?' (who must I help?) — Jesus asks 'who proved to be a neighbor?' (who acted with mercy?). The question is no longer about the identity of the recipient but about the character of the responder. The verb gegonenai ('proved to be, became') suggests that being a neighbor is not a status but an action.
Luke 10:37

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ' αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.

He said, "The one who showed mercy to him." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

KJV And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The lawyer cannot bring himself to say 'the Samaritan' — he answers with a circumlocution: 'the one who showed mercy' (ho poiēsas to eleos). The word eleos ('mercy, compassion') echoes the Septuagint's vocabulary for God's own compassion. Jesus's final command — 'go and do likewise' (poreuou kai sy poiei homoiōs) — turns the theological question into a practical mandate. The 'likewise' (homoiōs) means: be like the Samaritan. For a Jewish lawyer, this is a radical reorientation.
Luke 10:38

Ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς αὐτὸς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς κώμην τινά· γυνὴ δέ τις ὀνόματι Μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο αὐτόν.

As they continued on their way, he entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

KJV Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Luke does not name the village, though John 11:1 identifies Martha's home as Bethany, near Jerusalem. The verb hypedexato ('welcomed, received as a guest') indicates hospitality — Martha is the householder who opens her home. Luke places this domestic scene immediately after the Good Samaritan parable, creating a pairing: the parable teaches about active mercy, while the Martha/Mary story teaches about receptive listening. Both are needed.
Luke 10:39

καὶ τῇδε ἦν ἀδελφὴ καλουμένη Μαριάμ, ἣ καὶ παρακαθεσθεῖσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ κυρίου ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ.

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to his word.

KJV And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase parakathestheisa pros tous podas tou kyriou ('seated at the Lord's feet') is the technical posture of a rabbinic disciple — Paul describes himself as educated 'at the feet of Gamaliel' (Acts 22:3). For a woman to assume this posture was socially radical; women were not typically accepted as students of Torah. Luke presents Mary as a full disciple. The imperfect ēkouen ('was listening, kept listening') suggests sustained, absorbed attention.
Luke 10:40

ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν· ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ εἶπεν· Κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἡ ἀδελφή μου μόνην με κατέλιπεν διακονεῖν; εἰπὲ οὖν αὐτῇ ἵνα μοι συναντιλάβηται.

But Martha was distracted by all her preparations. She came to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!"

KJV But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb periespato ('was distracted, was pulled in different directions') suggests that Martha's many tasks were fragmenting her attention rather than centering it. The word diakonia ('service, ministry') is significant — it is the root of 'deacon' and is a valued activity in Luke-Acts. Martha's service is not condemned; her distraction is. Her complaint addresses Jesus rather than Mary directly, asking him to arbitrate — and her tone reveals frustration bordering on accusation: 'don't you care?' (ou melei soi).
Luke 10:41

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ κύριος· Μάρθα Μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ θορυβάζῃ περὶ πολλά,

The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,

KJV And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The double name 'Martha, Martha' (Martha Martha) is a form of address that conveys gentle concern and intimacy — compare 'Simon, Simon' (Luke 22:31) and 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem' (Luke 13:34). The two verbs merimnās ('you are anxious, worried') and thorybazē ('you are troubled, agitated') describe an internal state of fragmentation. Jesus does not criticize Martha's service but her anxiety — the inner turmoil that has overtaken her.
Luke 10:42

ἑνὸς δέ ἐστιν χρεία· Μαριὰμ γὰρ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται αὐτῆς.

However, one thing is needful — and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

KJV But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase henos estin chreia ('one thing is necessary') is textually debated — some manuscripts read 'few things are necessary, or only one' (oligōn de estin chreia ē henos). The SBLGNT reading is the most concise. The word merida ('portion, share, part') may carry meal imagery — while Martha is busy with many dishes, Mary has chosen the one dish that matters. The passive 'will not be taken away' (ouk aphairethēsetai) implies divine protection of Mary's choice. Jesus affirms that attentive hearing of the word takes priority, though he does not condemn Martha's service itself.
Chapter 9 Report an error Luke index Chapter 11