Luke 11:34
What does Luke 11:34 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 11:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 11:34 means
Extending the lamp analogy, Jesus declares that the "lamp of thy body is thine eye." He explains that a "single" eye (meaning focused, healthy, generous, or spiritually perceptive) results in the whole body being "full of light." Conversely, an "evil" eye (meaning unfocused, diseased, covetous, or spiritually blind) plunges the entire body into "darkness." This illustrates how one's inner disposition affects spiritual perception and overall life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The light of the body is the eye: when your eye is true, all your body is full of light; but when it is evil, your body is dark.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`The lamp of the body is the eye, when then thine eye may be simple, thy whole body also is lightened; and when it may be evil, thy body also is darkened;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The lamp of the body is thine eye: when thine eye is simple, thy whole body also is light; but when it is wicked, thy body also is dark.
Context
This verse directly builds on the analogy of the lamp by now applying it to the human body and particularly the eye, transitioning the teaching to internal spiritual perception. It follows the general principle of light's purpose and immediately precedes a warning to examine one's inner light. This emphasizes the critical role of one's disposition in receiving or rejecting divine truth, impacting the whole person.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 119:18
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold Wondrous things out of thy law.
- Acts 13:11
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
- Ephesians 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
- Jeremiah 5:21
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; that have eyes, and see not; that have ears, and hear not:
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.
- Mark 4:12
that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.
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