Luke 22:30
What does Luke 22:30 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 22:30 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 22:30 means
Jesus paints their future honor: they will eat and drink at His table in His kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Table fellowship signifies intimate joy and acceptance; thrones signify delegated authority. The imagery connects their apostolic role to Israel’s restoration under the Messiah. This promise does not negate servanthood; it crowns it. The verse holds together present humility and future exaltation, encouraging perseverance. It also implies continuity with God’s covenant people, as the twelve mirror the tribes. The highest honor is relational—feasting with the King—then functional—sharing His righteous rule. Such hope sustains them in the dark hours ahead when their courage will fail and their Lord will be taken.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
KJV
King James Version · 1611That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949So that you may take food and drink at my table in my kingdom, and be seated like kings, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862that ye may eat and may drink at my table, in my kingdom, and may sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom: and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Context
After promising a kingdom, Jesus specifies the blessings awaiting the apostles: table fellowship and judicial thrones in His realm. With this encouragement given, He turns to a sobering warning addressed to Simon about Satan’s demand to sift them like wheat and His own intercession for Peter’s faith. Peter’s bold protest and Jesus’ prediction of his threefold denial follow, showing the tension between promised future glory and present human frailty.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 14:15
And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
- Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- 1 Corinthians 6:2
Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
- Revelation 3:21
He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
- Revelation 4:4
And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold.
- Revelation 2:26
And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
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