Amplified Bible
Luke 18:13
13But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’
Luke 18:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
- New International Version (NIV)“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Context of Luke 18:13
11The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’ 14I tell you, this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.” 15Now they were also bringing their babies to Him, so that He would touch and bless them, and when the disciples noticed it, they began reprimanding them.
Read all of Luke 18Luke 18:13 word by word
Ὁ δὲ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπᾶραι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτυπτεν τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the publicanτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
- standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- afar offμακρόθενmakrothen · from afarG3113
- wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- notοὐou · noG3756
- lift upἐπαίρωepairō · to lift upG1869
- so much asοὐδέoude · norG3761
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- smoteτύπτωtuptō · to strikeG5180
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- breastστῆθοςstēthos · chestG4738
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- be mercifulἱλάσκομαιhilaskomai · to propitiateG2433
- to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
Cross-references for Luke 18:13
- Luke 5:8But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
- Luke 7:6And Jesus went with them. But when He was near the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof.
- Luke 17:12As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance;
- Ezra 9:6and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our wrongdoings have risen higher than our heads and our guilt has grown to the heavens.
- Job 42:6Therefore I retract [my words and hate myself] And I repent in dust and ashes.”
- Psalms 40:12For innumerable evils have encompassed me; My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see. They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.
- Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am ruined, Because I am a man of [ceremonially] unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
- Ezekiel 16:63so that you may remember [in detail] and be ashamed and never open your mouth again because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” says the Lord God.
- Daniel 9:7“Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us confusion and open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away, in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the [treacherous] acts of unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
- Acts 2:37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?”
- Luke 23:48All the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, began to return [to their homes], beating their breasts [as a sign of mourning or repentance].
- Jeremiah 31:18I have surely heard Ephraim (Israel) moaning and grieving, ‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like a bull unaccustomed to the yoke or an untrained calf; Bring me back that I may be restored, For You are the Lord my God.
- 2 Corinthians 7:11For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
- Psalms 25:7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
- Psalms 41:4As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
- Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Commentaries on Luke 18:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13The publican, standing afar off - Not because he was a heathen, and dared not approach the holy place; (for it is likely he was a Jew); but because he was a true penitent, and felt himself utterly unworthy to appear before God. Would not lift up - his eyes - Holding down the head, with the eyes fixed upon the earth, was, A sign of deep distress. Of a consciousness and confession of guilt. And, It was the very posture that the Jewish rabbins required in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Standing afar off - Afar off from the “temple.” The place where prayer was offered in the temple was the court of women. The Pharisee advanced to the side of the court nearest to the temple, or near as he could; the publican stood on the other side of the same court if he was a Jew, or in the court of the Gentiles if he was a pagan, as far as possible from the temple, being conscious of his unworthiness to approach the sacred place where God had his holy…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13he beat his breast: This action showed deep sorrow and repentance (turning away from sin).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. standing afar off--as unworthy to draw near; but that was the way to get near (Psa 34:18; Is 57:15). would not lift up--blushing and ashamed to do so (Ezr 9:6). smote, &c.--kept smiting; for anguish (Lu 23:48), and self-reproach (Jr 31:19). be merciful--"be propitiated," a very unusual word in such a sense, only once else used in the New Testament, in the sense of "making reconciliation" by sacrifice (He 2:17). There may therefore, be some allusion to…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 18:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 18
- 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
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