Luke 11:39

Luke 11:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.

Context of Luke 11:39

37Now after Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him. He went in [the Pharisee’s home] and reclined at the table [without ceremonially washing His hands]. 38The Pharisee noticed this and was surprised that Jesus did not first ceremonially wash before the meal. But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and plate [as required by tradition]; but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You foolish ones [acting without reflection or intelligence]! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41But give that which is within as charity [that is, acts of mercy and compassion, not as a public display, but as an expression of your faithfulness to God], and then indeed all things are clean for you.

Luke 11:39 word by word

Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· νῦν ὑμεῖς οἱ Φαρισαῖοι τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τοῦ πίνακος καθαρίζετε, τὸ δὲ ἔσωθεν ὑμῶν γέμει ἁρπαγῆς καὶ πονηρίας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• doκαθαρίζωkatharizō · to cleanG2511
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• the outsideἔξωθενexōthen · outsideG1855
• of the cupποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the platterπίναξpinax · platterG4094
• inward partἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
• is fullγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
• of raveningἁρπαγήharpagē · plunderG724
• wickednessπονηρίαponēria · evilG4189

Cross-references for Luke 11:39

• Matthew 23:25“Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed).
• Galatians 1:14And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors.
• 2 Timothy 3:5holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.
• Luke 16:15So He said to them, “You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts [your thoughts, your desires, your secrets]; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.
• Genesis 6:5The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.
• 2 Chronicles 25:2He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not wholeheartedly.
• 2 Chronicles 31:20This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God.
• Proverbs 26:25When he speaks graciously and kindly [to conceal his malice], do not trust him, For seven abominations are in his heart.
• Proverbs 30:12There is a generation (class of people) that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
• Jeremiah 4:14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long will your wicked and immoral thoughts Lodge within you?
• Matthew 12:33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit.
• Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming).
• John 12:6Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor [for he had never cared about them], but because he was a thief; and since he had the money box [serving as treasurer for the twelve disciples], he used to pilfer what was put into it.
• John 13:2It was during supper, when the devil had already put [the thought of] betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son,
• Acts 5:3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and [secretly] keep back for yourself some of the proceeds [from the sale] of the land?
• Acts 8:21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

Commentaries on Luke 11:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Ye - make clean the outside - See on Matthew 23:25; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39See Matthew 23:25. “Ravening.” Robbery, plunder. Here the sense is that the cup and platter were filled with what had been unjustly taken from others. That is, they lived by their wickedness; their food was procured by dishonesty and extortion. This was a most terrible charge; and as it was applied, among others, to the man who had invited the Saviour to dine with him, it shows that nothing would prevent his dealing faithfully with the souls of people…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-54Verses 37-54 We should all look to our hearts, that they may be cleansed and new-created; and while we attend to the great things of the law and of the gospel, we must not neglect the smallest matter God has appointed. When any wait to catch something out of our mouths, that they may insnare us, O Lord, give us thy prudence and thy patience, and disappoint their evil purposes. Furnish us with such meekness and patience that we may glory in reproaches, for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39The Pharisees had very detailed rules for washing cups and dishes in order to be religiously clean. These rules were about ceremonial cleansing (a special washing required by religious law). Jesus said they cleaned only the outside of the cup. By this, he meant they carefully followed outward rules. But inside, they were still unclean. They kept sin and wrong desires in their inner lives (their thoughts and motives).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-4139-41. cup and platter--remarkable example of our Lord's way of drawing the most striking illustrations of great truths from the most familiar objects and incidents of life. ravening--rapacity.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 11:39

• Ablution
• Bigotry
• Hypocrisy
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees
• Reproof
• Satire
• Self-Righteousness
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

• Inward Part
• Allow
• Clean
• Hinder
• Judgment
• Manner
• Pharisees
• Ravening
• Seek
• Sign

Commentaries on Luke 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings