Devine Scripture

Luke 12:55

What does Luke 12:55 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 12:55 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 12:55 means

He adds another weather sign: when a south wind blows, people rightly predict scorching heat. Again, they read creation accurately when daily life requires it. The point is cumulative: they are competent forecasters of ordinary matters. Jesus is drawing a baseline for discernment—if they can do this with the sky, they should be able to do it with the spiritual climate brought by His coming. Their failure is willful, not due to lack of capacity.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And when ye see a south wind blowing, ye say, There will be a scorching heat; and it cometh to pass.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, There will be heat; and so it is.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and when--a south wind blowing, ye say, that there will be heat, and it is;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will heat. And it cometh to pass.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And when [ye see] the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it happens.

Context

This second example underlines the people’s ability to assess natural signs. It sets the stage for Jesus’ direct accusation of hypocrisy in the next verse, where He contrasts their meteorological savvy with their blindness to the significance of His presence and teaching in that very time.

v.54And he said to the multitudes also, When ye see a cloud rising in the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it cometh to pass.

v.55This passage

v.56Ye hypocrites, ye know how to interpret the face of the earth and the heaven; but how is it that ye know not how to interpret this time?

Cross references

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

  • Matthew 20:12

    saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.

  • Job 37:17

    How thy garments are warm, When the earth is still by reason of the southwind?

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