Luke 10:32

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G1161} likewise {G3668}{G2532} a Levite {G3019}, when he was {G1096} at {G2596} the place {G5117}, came {G2064} and {G2532} looked {G1492} on him, and passed by on the other side {G492}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Likewise a Levi who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side.

Berean Standard Bible

So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.

American Standard Version

And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 10:32 continues the poignant narrative of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, depicting the second religious figure, a Levite, who encounters the brutally assaulted man left for dead on the perilous road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Despite his sacred calling and proximity to the suffering victim, the Levite deliberately observes the man's plight before choosing to actively avoid him, mirroring the previous priest's indifference and setting a stark contrast for the unexpected compassion that follows.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is an integral part of Jesus's response to a lawyer's probing question, "And who is my neighbour?" ([Luke 10:29](/luke/10-29 "Luke 10:29 - The Lawyer's Question")). The parable itself, found in [Luke 10:25-37](/luke/10-25-37 "Luke 10:25-37 - The Parable of the Good Samaritan"), serves as a powerful redefinition of neighborliness, challenging conventional Jewish societal norms and expectations. Following the priest's similar inaction in [Luke 10:31](/luke/10-31 "Luke 10:31 - The Priest's Indifference"), the Levite's response heightens the tension and underscores the parabolic critique of religious hypocrisy. The narrative structure builds suspense, leading to the surprising hero, the Samaritan, in [Luke 10:33-35](/luke/10-33-35 "Luke 10:33-35 - The Samaritan's Compassion"), thereby subverting the listener's expectations and driving home Jesus's radical teaching on love and mercy.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, a steep, winding descent through desolate terrain, making it a frequent target for robbers. This historical reality underscores the profound vulnerability of the victim. Levites, members of the Israelite tribe of Levi, held a revered position in Jewish society, second only to priests. They were responsible for assisting priests in Temple duties, maintaining the Tabernacle/Temple, and upholding the Mosaic Law. Their role involved teaching, officiating in some religious rites, and safeguarding the sacred. Given their proximity to the Law and religious service, their failure to act would have been particularly shocking to Jesus's Jewish audience. The concept of ritual purity, particularly concerning contact with a dead body (as outlined in [Numbers 19:11-13](/numbers/19-11-13 "Numbers 19:11-13 - Laws of Impurity from Dead Bodies")), might have been a perceived justification for their inaction, as touching a corpse would render them ritually unclean and temporarily unable to perform Temple duties. However, the parable implicitly critiques such a prioritization of ritual over urgent human need, especially when the man's status (dead or alive) was uncertain.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the parable and Luke's Gospel. It powerfully illustrates the theme of **superficial religiosity versus genuine compassion**, highlighting how religious office or adherence to external laws can be divorced from the spirit of the Law, which emphasizes love for God and neighbor ([Matthew 22:37-40](/matthew/22-37-40 "Matthew 22:37-40 - The Greatest Commandment")). The Levite's action also reinforces the theme of **indifference and avoidance**, showcasing a conscious decision to ignore suffering. By placing the Levite after the priest, Jesus emphasizes a pattern of failure among those expected to exemplify righteousness, setting the stage for the unexpected hero. This critique of religious leaders who fail to practice what they preach is a recurring motif in Jesus's teachings, found throughout the Gospels, particularly in His condemnations of the Pharisees and scribes (e.g., [Matthew 23](/matthew/23 "Matthew 23 - Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees")). Ultimately, the Levite's inaction serves to deepen the parable's central question: "Who truly acted as a neighbor?"

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Levite (Greek, _Leuḯtēs'_):** Derived from "Levi," this term specifically denotes a descendant of Levi, the tribe designated for sacred service in the Temple. In the context of the parable, the Levite represents another figure of religious authority and respect within Jewish society, someone expected to embody the Law's principles, including mercy and compassion. Their role was to assist the priests and maintain the sanctity of the Temple, making their inaction particularly poignant.
* **looked (Greek, _eídō'_):** This verb signifies "to see" or "to perceive," often with an implication of knowing or understanding. Unlike simply passing by without notice, the Levite "looked on him," indicating a conscious observation and full awareness of the man's dire condition. This was not an accidental oversight but a deliberate act of seeing and assessing the situation, which then led to a conscious decision to disengage.
* **passed by on the other side (Greek, _antiparérchomai'_):** A compound word meaning "to go along opposite" or "to pass by on the other side." This phrase conveys a deliberate act of avoidance. It's not merely that he continued on his way, but that he actively moved to the opposite side of the road, creating physical distance and emphasizing his intentional detachment from the suffering man. This action underscores a conscious decision to prioritize self-preservation or ritual purity over the immediate needs of a fellow human being.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And likewise a Levite,"**: This phrase immediately links the Levite's action to that of the priest in the preceding verse ([Luke 10:31](/luke/10-31 "Luke 10:31 - The Priest's Indifference")), establishing a pattern of failure among the religiously esteemed. The "likewise" emphasizes the repetition of an expected, yet ultimately disappointing, response.
* **"when he was at the place,"**: This clause confirms the Levite's direct encounter with the victim. He was not merely in the vicinity but arrived at the precise location where the injured man lay, making his subsequent actions a direct response to the situation at hand, rather than an ignorance of it.
* **"came and looked [on him],"**: This is a crucial detail. The Levite actively approached the scene and observed the man's condition. This "looking" implies a moment of assessment, where the Levite became fully aware of the man's suffering. It eliminates any possibility that he simply did not see the victim, highlighting his conscious choice in the face of obvious need.
* **"and passed by on the other side."**: This final clause describes the Levite's decisive action. Despite seeing and acknowledging the man's plight, he chose to move to the opposite side of the road, actively avoiding engagement. This deliberate act signifies a prioritization of personal convenience, fear of defilement, or self-interest over the urgent call of compassion and mercy, mirroring the priest's earlier failure.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 10:32 employs several powerful **Literary Devices**. **Irony** is central, as a Levite, a figure of religious authority and a guardian of the Law, fails to embody the very spirit of the Law which calls for love and mercy. This creates a sharp contrast with societal expectations, where such a figure would be anticipated to offer aid. The phrase "passed by on the other side" acts as a form of **Euphemism** or **Understatement**, subtly conveying a profound act of moral failure and indifference without explicitly stating condemnation. It implies a deliberate and active avoidance rather than a passive oversight. Furthermore, the actions of both the priest and the Levite serve as **Foreshadowing** for the radical and unexpected compassion of the Samaritan, building narrative tension and setting the stage for Jesus's revolutionary redefinition of "neighbor." The repetition of the inaction from the previous verse also functions as a **Parallelism**, reinforcing the pattern of failure among the religiously privileged.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The Levite's inaction in Luke 10:32 serves as a profound theological statement, critiquing a religiosity that prioritizes ritual purity or self-preservation over the urgent demands of human suffering. It exposes the chasm between outward observance of the Law and the inward transformation of the heart that expresses itself in genuine love and mercy. The parable challenges the notion that religious title or adherence to tradition automatically equates to righteousness, instead asserting that true faith is demonstrated through compassionate action towards those in need, regardless of their background or the inconvenience involved. This resonates deeply with the prophetic tradition, which consistently rebuked Israel for its ritualistic piety devoid of justice and mercy.

* [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires")
* [Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - God Desires Steadfast Love, Not Sacrifice")
* [James 2:15-16](/james/2-15-16 "James 2:15-16 - Faith Without Works is Dead")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The Levite's decision to "pass by on the other side" is a powerful mirror reflecting our own potential for indifference in the face of suffering. In a world saturated with information about crises, poverty, and injustice, it is easy to become desensitized or to rationalize inaction based on perceived inconvenience, lack of resources, or even a sense of unworthiness to help. This verse challenges us to move beyond mere observation or intellectual acknowledgment of pain and to actively engage with the needs around us. Do we, like the Levite, "look" at the suffering of others—whether it's a homeless person on the street, a struggling family in our community, or a global humanitarian crisis—and then consciously choose to move to "the other side" of our comfort zone, our schedule, or our perceived obligations? True faith, as demonstrated by the Good Samaritan, calls us to bridge that gap, to allow compassion to override our fears and self-interest, and to become agents of God's love in a broken world. This requires a willingness to be inconvenienced, to get our hands dirty, and to extend mercy without calculation of cost or return.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "other side" do I tend to pass by when confronted with someone in need?**
* **How might my own fears, priorities, or perceived "duties" prevent me from showing compassion?**
* **In what ways can I move beyond mere observation to active engagement with suffering in my community or the world?**
* **How does the Levite's inaction challenge my understanding of what it means to be truly "religious" or "spiritual"?**

### FAQ
**Why did the Levite, a religious figure, choose to ignore the injured man?**

Answer: The text does not explicitly state the Levite's motivation, but common interpretations suggest several possibilities. Like the priest before him, the Levite may have been concerned about ritual impurity. According to [Numbers 19:11](/numbers/19-11 "Numbers 19:11 - Impurity from a Dead Body"), touching a dead body would render a person ritually unclean for seven days, preventing them from participating in Temple service. If the Levite believed the man was dead or near death, avoiding contact would preserve his ritual purity and ability to perform his sacred duties. Other possible reasons include fear of robbers (the road was known for ambushes, as described in [Luke 10:30](/luke/10-30 "Luke 10:30 - The Man Attacked by Robbers")), or simply a lack of genuine compassion, prioritizing personal convenience or safety over the immediate needs of a suffering stranger. The parable, however, critiques this prioritization, emphasizing that true neighborliness transcends such concerns.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The Levite's failure, mirroring that of the priest, starkly highlights humanity's inability to perfectly fulfill the Law's highest demand: to love God and neighbor. These religious figures, entrusted with upholding God's commandments, demonstrate that even the most zealous adherence to ritual or tradition can fall short of the radical, self-sacrificial love that God truly desires. This deficiency points directly to Christ. Jesus, the ultimate High Priest, did not pass by on the other side of humanity's brokenness; instead, He "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" ([Matthew 20:28](/matthew/20-28 "Matthew 20:28 - The Son of Man Came to Serve")). He perfectly embodied the compassion that the priest and Levite lacked, not only seeing our spiritual destitution but actively entering into it, becoming ritually "unclean" for our sake through His incarnation and crucifixion ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). His very life was a demonstration of what it means to be the perfect neighbor, culminating in His ultimate act of mercy on the cross, where He laid down His life for those who were utterly helpless and spiritually dead ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God Demonstrates His Love")). Through Christ, we are not only shown the standard of true neighborly love but are also empowered by His Spirit to live out that love, fulfilling the Law's intent where we, like the Levite, would otherwise fail ([Romans 8:4](/romans/8-4 "Romans 8:4 - The Righteous Requirement of the Law Fulfilled in Us")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 27:10

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off.

Acts 18:17

Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat [him] before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

Psalms 109:25

I became also a reproach unto them: [when] they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

2 Timothy 3:2

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,