Devine Scripture

Luke 10:28

What does Luke 10:28 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 10:28 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 10:28 means

Jesus tells the lawyer he answered correctly and affirms: 'Do this, and you will live.' Jesus affirms that the law’s summary is not merely theoretical but practical—obedience leads to life. The statement reframes eternal life as obedience rooted in love rather than legal perfection. Jesus’ directive stresses that true religion is active: living out love for God and neighbor is the path to the life God intends, not mere intellectual assent to the law’s content.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said, You have given the right answer: do this and you will have life.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And he said to him, `Rightly thou didst answer; this do, and thou shalt live.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he said to him: Thou hast answered right. This do: and thou shalt live.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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

Context

Having accepted the lawyer’s summary, Jesus moves from theory to application: he commands the lawyer to act on what he said. The lawyer’s next question—'Who is my neighbor?'—reveals an attempt to limit obligation and prompts Jesus to tell the parable that redefines neighbor in radical, practical terms.

v.27And 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 neighbor as thyself.

v.28This passage

v.29But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 10:4

    For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.

  • Ezekiel 20:11

    And I gave them my statutes, and showed them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

  • Luke 7:43

    Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

  • Ezekiel 20:21

    But the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

  • Leviticus 18:5

    Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am Jehovah.

  • Ezekiel 20:13

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected mine ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

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