Luke 10:26

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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

Complete Jewish Bible:

But Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?”

Berean Standard Bible:

“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”

American Standard Version:

And he said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

^{G1161} He said^{G2036} unto^{G4314} him^{G846}, What^{G5101} is written^{G1125} in^{G1722} the law^{G3551}? how^{G4459} readest thou^{G314}?

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Commentary for Luke 10:26

Luke 10:26 is part of a larger narrative known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which is unique to Luke's Gospel. The verse itself is a question posed by Jesus to a lawyer, an expert in Mosaic Law, who had asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. In response, Jesus directs the lawyer back to the Scriptures, asking, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

This question from Jesus touches on several themes:

1. **The Authority of Scripture**: Jesus affirms the importance of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) as the authoritative source for understanding how to live in a way that pleases God.

2. **Personal Interpretation**: By asking how the lawyer reads the law, Jesus highlights the importance of personal engagement with and interpretation of Scripture. This suggests that understanding and application are active processes, not merely passive reception of tradition.

3. **Love and Law**: The immediate context of this verse is a discussion about loving one's neighbor, which is a central tenet of the law. Jesus' question prompts the lawyer to synthesize the law's teachings, leading him to answer with the Great Commandment: to love God with all one's heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love one's neighbor as oneself (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18).

4. **The Universality of Love**: The lawyer's answer sets the stage for the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which challenges conventional wisdom about who qualifies as a "neighbor." The Samaritans were generally despised by Jews, yet Jesus uses a Samaritan as a positive example, thus expanding the concept of neighborly love beyond ethnic and religious boundaries.

In the historical context, Jesus is engaging with a society deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law, yet one that often missed the heart of the law—compassion and love for others, regardless of their background. By asking the lawyer to articulate the law's requirements, Jesus is not only testing the lawyer's knowledge but also inviting him and all listeners to reflect on the spirit of the law rather than mere adherence to its letter. This encounter underscores Jesus' mission to reorient his audience toward a more authentic and inclusive expression of faith, one that is active and demonstrated through acts of kindness and mercy.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: G1161
   There are 2556 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: δέ
   Transliteration: dé
   Pronunciation: deh
   Description: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
   
2. Strong's Number: G2036
   There are 901 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἔπω
   Transliteration: épō
   Pronunciation: ep'-o
   Description: a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from ἐρέω, ῥέω, and φημί); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell. Compare λέγω.
   
3. Strong's Number: G4314
   There are 674 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: πρός
   Transliteration: prós
   Pronunciation: pros
   Description: a strengthened form of πρό; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated):--about, according to , against, among, at, because of, before, between, (where-)by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), X together, to (you) -ward, unto, with(-in). In the comparative case, it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.
   
4. Strong's Number: G846
   There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: αὐτός
   Transliteration: autós
   Pronunciation: ow-tos'
   Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ.
   
5. Strong's Number: G5101
   There are 483 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: τίς
   Transliteration: tís
   Pronunciation: tis
   Description: probably emphatic of τὶς; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.
   
6. Strong's Number: G1125
   There are 197 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: γράφω
   Transliteration: gráphō
   Pronunciation: graf'-o
   Description: a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).
   
7. Strong's Number: G1722
   There are 2129 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἐν
   Transliteration: en
   Pronunciation: en
   Description: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between εἰς and ἐκ); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
   
8. Strong's Number: G3551
   There are 158 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: νόμος
   Transliteration: nómos
   Pronunciation: nom'-os
   Description: from a primary (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):--law.
   
9. Strong's Number: G4459
   There are 100 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: πῶς
   Transliteration: pōs
   Pronunciation: poce
   Description: adverb from the base of ποῦ; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!:--how, after (by) what manner (means), that. (Occasionally unexpressed in English).
   
10. Strong's Number: G314
    There are 199 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἀναγινώσκω
    Transliteration: anaginṓskō
    Pronunciation: an-ag-in-oce'-ko
    Description: from ἀνά and γινώσκω; to know again, i.e. (by extension) to read:--read.