Luke 21:3

And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

And {G2532} he said {G2036}, Of a truth {G230} I say {G3004} unto you {G5213}, that {G3754} this {G3778} poor {G4434} widow {G5503} hath cast {G906} in more than {G4119} they all {G3956}:

He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 21:3 (KJV)

Luke 21:3 presents a profound insight from Jesus regarding true generosity and God's perspective on offerings. This verse is part of a short, powerful narrative often referred to as "The Widow's Mite," where Jesus observes people contributing to the temple treasury.

Context

In the preceding verses (Luke 21:1-2), Jesus is sitting in the temple and watching as various people, including many rich individuals, cast their contributions into the treasury chests. These chests were designed to collect money for temple upkeep and services. While the wealthy were putting in large sums, Jesus specifically draws attention to a poor widow who contributes two small copper coins, known as "mites." This observation sets the stage for Jesus's striking declaration in verse 3, highlighting a stark contrast in values.

Key Themes

  • True Generosity and Sacrifice: Jesus reveals that the value of a gift is not measured by its absolute amount, but by the proportion it represents to the giver's total resources and, more importantly, the heart behind the offering. The rich gave out of their abundance, while the widow gave "all her living." This emphasizes sacrificial giving.
  • God's Perspective vs. Man's Perspective: While human observers would likely have been impressed by the large sums from the rich, Jesus's divine insight penetrates beyond outward appearances. He sees the heart and the true sacrifice involved, valuing the widow's humble offering above all others. This echoes the principle that God looks at the heart, not outward appearance.
  • Faith and Trust: The widow's act demonstrates extraordinary faith. By giving away everything she had, she was placing her complete trust in God for her immediate and future provision, rather than relying on her meager savings.

Linguistic Insights

The term "mites" translates from the Greek word lepta (λεπτά), which were the smallest Jewish copper coins. The phrase "all her living" (Greek: holon ton bion hon eichen) literally means "all the life she had," indicating her entire means of sustenance or livelihood. This emphasizes the extreme nature of her sacrifice, as she held nothing back.

Practical Application

Luke 21:3 challenges believers today to examine their own giving and priorities. It teaches that God is not impressed by the size of our contributions if they come from a place of convenience or abundance without sacrifice. Instead, He values a heart that gives generously, even sacrificially, out of love and trust. This principle extends beyond financial giving to all areas of life, encouraging us to offer our time, talents, and resources wholeheartedly to God, knowing that He sees and values the sincerity of our devotion, as seen in 2 Corinthians 9:7, which speaks of a cheerful giver.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Corinthians 8:12

    For if there be first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to that a man hath, [and] not according to that he hath not.

  • Acts 10:34

    ¶ Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

  • 2 Corinthians 8:2

    How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:3

    For to [their] power, I bear record, yea, and beyond [their] power [they were] willing of themselves;

  • Exodus 35:21

    And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, [and] they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

  • Exodus 35:29

    The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

  • Mark 12:43

    And he called [unto him] his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
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