Luke17

Jesus teaches about the inevitability of offences, the importance of forgiving repeatedly, and the power of even small faith. He then heals ten lepers, but only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks, highlighting gratitude. Finally, Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God not coming with observation, but being 'within you.' He describes the sudden, unexpected return of the Son of Man, likening it to the days of Noah and Lot, urging readiness.

Warnings on Stumbling and Forgiveness

1
Yeshua said to his talmidim, “It is impossible that snares will not be set. But woe to the person who sets them! ​
2
It would be to his advantage that he have a millstone hung around his neck and he be thrown into the sea, rather than that he ensnare one of these little ones. ​
3
Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ​
4
Also, if seven times in one day he sins against you, and seven times he comes to you and says, ‘I repent,’ you are to forgive him.” ​
5
The emissaries said to the Lord, “Increase our trust.” ​
6
The Lord replied, “If you had trust as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this fig tree, ‘Be uprooted and replanted in the sea!’ and it would obey you. ​

Duty of the Servant

7
If one of you has a slave tending the sheep or plowing, when he comes back from the field, will you say to him, ‘Come along now, sit down and eat’? ​
8
No, you’ll say, ‘Get my supper ready, dress for work, and serve me until I have finished eating and drinking; after that, you may eat and drink.’
9
Does he thank the slave because he did what he was told to do? No!
10
It’s the same with you — when you have done everything you were told to do, you should be saying, ‘We’re just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty.’” ​

The Ten Lepers and the Grateful Samaritan

11
On his way to Yerushalayim, Yeshua passed along the border country between Shomron and the Galil. ​
12
As he entered one of the villages, ten men afflicted with tzara‘at met him. They stood at a distance
13
and called out, “Yeshua! Rabbi! Have pity on us!”
14
On seeing them, he said, “Go and let the cohanim examine you!” And as they went, they were cleansed. ​
15
One of them, as soon as he noticed that he had been healed, returned shouting praises to God,
16
and fell on his face at Yeshua’s feet to thank him. Now he was from Shomron. ​
17
Yeshua said, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18
Was no one found coming back to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
19
And to the man from Shomron he said, “Get up, you may go; your trust has saved you.” ​

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

20
The P’rushim asked Yeshua when the Kingdom of God would come. “The Kingdom of God,” he answered, “does not come with visible signs; ​
21
nor will people be able to say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘Over there!’ Because, you see, the Kingdom of God is among you.” ​

Signs of the Son of Man's Return

22
Then he said to his talmidim, “The time is coming when you will long to see even one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ​
23
People will say to you, ‘Look! Right here!’ or, ‘See! Over there!’ Don’t run off, don’t follow them,
24
because the Son of Man in his day will be like lightning that flashes and lights up the sky from one horizon to the other. ​
25
But first he must endure horrible suffering and be rejected by this generation. ​
26
“Also, at the time of the Son of Man, it will be just as it was at the time of Noach. ​
27
People ate and drank, and men and women married, right up until the day Noach entered the ark; then the flood came and destroyed them all.
28
Likewise, as it was in the time of Lot — people ate and drank, bought and sold, planted and built;
29
but the day Lot left S’dom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
30
That is how it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
31
On that day, if someone is on the roof with his belongings in his house, he must not go down to take them away. Similarly, if someone is in the field, he must not turn back — ​
32
remember Lot’s wife! ​
33
Whoever aims at preserving his own life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will stay alive. ​
34
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed — one will be taken and the other left behind. ​
35
There will be two women grinding grain together — one will be taken and the other left behind.”
36
Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.
37
They asked him, “Where, Lord?” He answered, “Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where the vultures gather.” ​

Study Notes for Luke 17

Verse 1

The term “offences” (Gk. *skandala*) refers to traps or causes of moral stumbling. Jesus emphasizes that while sin is inevitable, those who cause others to sin face severe judgment.

Verse 2

A millstone (*mulos onikos*) was typically turned by a donkey, indicating a very large, heavy stone, emphasizing the extreme nature of the punishment for harming a vulnerable believer ('little ones').

Verse 3

This instruction balances the serious warning against causing sin (Vv. 1-2) with the responsibility of personal accountability and reconciliation within the community.

Verse 4

The instruction to forgive 'seven times' goes beyond the rabbinic standard (often three times) and signifies complete, limitless forgiveness, reflecting God’s own boundless mercy.

Verse 5

The apostles' request shows they recognized the difficulty of the standard Jesus set regarding limitless forgiveness and sought divine enablement.

Verse 6

The sycamine (mulberry) tree has deep roots, making it difficult to uproot. Jesus uses hyperbole to illustrate that true faith, even if small ('mustard seed'), can accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Verse 7

This parable shifts the focus from the power of faith to the proper attitude toward obedience, emphasizing humility.

Verse 10

The phrase 'unprofitable servants' (or 'worthless servants') does not mean useless, but rather that they have not earned merit or special reward; they have simply fulfilled their basic obligation (*opheilomenon*).

Verse 11

Luke often notes Jesus passing through the borderlands (Samaria and Galilee), highlighting his ministry crossing ethnic and religious boundaries on the way to Jerusalem.

Verse 14

Jesus tests their obedience before the healing occurs. Showing themselves to the priests was required by Mosaic Law (Lev. 14) to confirm cleansing and allow re-entry into society.

Verse 16

The fact that the one who returned was a Samaritan is highly significant in Luke, emphasizing that God’s grace extends beyond the Jewish community and often finds a more appreciative response among those considered outsiders.

Verse 19

The distinction is often made: the nine were 'cleansed' (V. 14, physical healing), but the Samaritan was 'made whole' (*sesōken*), implying spiritual salvation or complete restoration.

Verse 20

The Pharisees expected the Kingdom to arrive as a visible, political event. Jesus refutes this, introducing the idea of the Kingdom's spiritual presence.

Verse 21

The Greek phrase *entos hymōn* can mean 'among you' (referring to Jesus' presence) or 'within you' (referring to the spiritual reality in the hearts of believers). Both interpretations emphasize that the Kingdom is not dependent on external signs.

Verse 22

Jesus shifts from discussing the present reality of the Kingdom to its future, visible manifestation (eschatology), warning the disciples against false messianic claims after his departure.

Verse 24

The Second Coming will not be secret or localized but sudden, undeniable, and universally visible, like a flash of lightning across the sky.

Verse 25

This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor, stressing that the glory of the Son of Man (V. 24) is preceded necessarily by his suffering and rejection.

Verse 26

The comparison to the days of Noah and Lot emphasizes that the judgment will fall upon a world engrossed in normal, everyday activities, unprepared for the suddenness of God's intervention.

Verse 31

This graphic image emphasizes the necessity of immediate, decisive action when the final judgment arrives, prioritizing preservation over material possessions.

Verse 32

Remember Lot's wife (Gen. 19:26) is a warning against looking back or prioritizing attachment to the world being judged over immediate obedience to divine command.

Verse 33

This paradox is a central teaching of Jesus, emphasizing that true life (spiritual and eternal) is found only through self-denial and willingness to surrender earthly security.

Verse 34

This illustrates the selective and decisive nature of the final judgment, separating individuals even when they are in closest physical proximity.

Verse 37

Jesus responds to the disciples' question about the location ('Where?') with a proverb. The judgment will take place universally, wherever spiritual decay and rebellion (the 'body') are found.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options