Luke 14:26
What does Luke 14:26 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 14:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 14:26 means
Jesus declares that anyone who comes to Him must ‘hate’ father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even his own life, or he cannot be His disciple. This is Semitic hyperbole expressing priority, not literal malice. Allegiance to Jesus must be so supreme that all other attachments, compared to it, look like hate. Family and self-interest cannot be ultimate. The claim is absolute because of who Jesus is—the rightful Lord. He demands the first place in love and loyalty. This verse forces a choice of center: either Christ rules the heart, or other loves will rule and finally rival Him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
KJV
King James Version · 1611If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And turning round, he said to them, If any man comes to me, and has not hate for his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even for his life, he may not be my disciple.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`If any one doth come unto me, and doth not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and yet even his own life, he is not able to be my disciple;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890If any man come to me, and shall not hate his own father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple;
Context
This hard saying begins Jesus’ list of non-negotiables for discipleship. It follows a scene where many treat God’s invitation lightly. Now Jesus addresses those inclined to follow, warning that sentimental enthusiasm is not enough. Next, in verse 27, He will add the call to bear one’s own cross, intensifying the picture of costly allegiance. The subsequent parables of counting the cost (verses 28–32) explain why such radical commitment must be considered before starting the journey.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ecclesiastes 2:17
So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Matthew 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- Deuteronomy 13:6
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, that is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
- Job 7:15
So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than these my bones.
- Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.
- Deuteronomy 33:9
Who said of his father, and of his mother, I have not seen him; Neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Nor knew he his own children: For they have observed thy word, And keep thy covenant.
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