Devine Scripture

Luke 10:33

What does Luke 10:33 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 10:33 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 10:33 means

A certain Samaritan, journeying along, comes to where the man is and is moved with compassion when he sees him. The Samaritan’s empathy is striking because Samaritans were ethnically and religiously estranged from Jews. His compassion breaks social barriers and moral presuppositions. The verse highlights the inner motion of mercy—a feeling that leads to action. It teaches that true neighborliness springs from compassion that crosses cultural and religious divides to meet real human need.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But a certain man of Samaria, journeying that way, came where he was, and when he saw him, he was moved with pity for him,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`But a certain Samaritan, journeying, came along him, and having seen him, he was moved with compassion,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But a certain Samaritan journeying came to him, and seeing [him], was moved with compassion,

Context

After the priest and Levite’s failures, the appearance of a Samaritan creates moral suspense. His compassion is unexpected from the perspective of Jewish listeners and forces a re-evaluation of who can be a neighbor. The narrative will now display his concrete acts of mercy, showing what love for neighbor looks like in practice.

v.32And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.

v.33This passage

v.34and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Cross references

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

  • 1 Kings 8:50

    and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

  • Luke 7:13

    And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

  • John 8:48

    The Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?

  • Jeremiah 38:7

    Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin),

  • Proverbs 27:10

    Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; And go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

  • Matthew 18:33

    shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?

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