Luke 11:33
What does Luke 11:33 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 11:33 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 11:33 means
Jesus uses an analogy of a lamp to illustrate the proper placement and purpose of light. No one lights a lamp only to hide it away in a secret, dark place like a cellar or under a bushel basket. Rather, a lamp is placed on a stand so that it can fulfill its purpose: to illuminate the space and allow those who enter to see clearly.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light.
KJV
King James Version · 1611No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901No man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see the light.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949No man, when the light has been lighted, puts it in a secret place, or under a vessel, but on its table, so that those who come in may see the light.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And no one having lighted a lamp, doth put <FI>it<Fi> in a secret place, nor under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, that those coming in may behold the light.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752No man lighteth a candle and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But no one having lit a lamp sets it in secret, nor under the corn-measure, but on the lamp-stand, that they who enter in may see the light.
Context
This verse introduces a teaching on the purpose and placement of light, immediately following Jesus' condemnation of the generation for not responding to the greater light of His presence. It serves as an object lesson for spiritual perception. This imagery then transitions to the metaphor of the eye as the lamp of the body, emphasizing internal disposition toward truth.
v.32The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
v.33This passage
v.34The lamp of thy body is thine eye: when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when it is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 8:16
And no man, when he hath lighted a lamp, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they that enter in may see the light.
- Matthew 10:27
What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops.
- John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness.
- Matthew 5:15
Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.
- Philippians 2:15
that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,
- John 11:9
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
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