Devine Scripture

Luke 10:29

What does Luke 10:29 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 10:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 10:29 means

The lawyer, hoping to justify himself, asks, 'Who is my neighbor?' By asking this, he seeks to narrow the law’s demand—if 'neighbor' is limited, so is his duty. The phrase 'desiring to justify himself' implies his motive: he wants to reduce his moral responsibility. His question sets the stage for Jesus’ parable that upends narrow ethnocentric boundaries and defines neighbor as one who shows mercy, irrespective of ethnicity or religious distinction.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But he, desiring to put himself in the right, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And he, willing to declare himself righteous, said unto Jesus, `And who is my neighbour?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Context

This question follows Jesus’ command to 'do this and live.' Instead of immediate obedience, the lawyer tries to restrict obligation. The narrative tension prepares readers for the parable of the Good Samaritan, which answers by portraying compassion across social and ethnic barriers and thereby reinterprets the law’s requirement to love one’s neighbor.

v.28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

v.29This passage

v.30Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Cross references

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

  • Luke 16:15

    And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

  • Matthew 5:43

    Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:

  • Job 32:2

    Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

  • Romans 4:2

    For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.

  • Romans 10:3

    For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

  • Galatians 3:11

    Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;

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