Luke 7:37

Luke 7:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
• New International Version (NIV)A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

Context of Luke 7:37

35Yet wisdom is vindicated and shown to be right by all her children [by the lifestyle, moral character, and good deeds of her followers].” 36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house [in the region of Galilee] and reclined at the table. Now there was a woman in the city who was [known as] a sinner; and when she found out that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume; 38and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began wetting His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and [respectfully] kissed His feet [as an act signifying both affection and submission] and anointed them with the perfume. 39Now when [Simon] the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this Man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a [notorious] sinner [an outcast, devoted to sin].”

Luke 7:37 word by word

καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁμαρτωλός. καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσα ὅτι κατάκειται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου, κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρουRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• a womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
• when she knewἐπιγινώσκωepiginōskō · to come to knowG1921
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• sat at meatἀνάκειμαιanakeimai · to reclineG345
• the Pharisee’sΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• broughtκομίζωkolumbaō · to bring/be repaidG2865
• an alabaster boxἀλάβαστρονalabastron · jarG211
• of ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464

Cross-references for Luke 7:37

• Luke 7:34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man who is a glutton and a [heavy] wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews].’
• Luke 5:30The Pharisees and their scribes [seeing those with whom He was associating] began murmuring in discontent to His disciples, asking, “Why are you eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]?”
• Luke 18:13But 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 19:7When the people saw it, they all began muttering [in discontent], “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a [notorious] sinner.”
• Matthew 21:31Which of the two did the will of the father?” The chief priests and elders replied, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.
• John 9:24So a second time they called the man who had been [born] blind, and said to him, “Give God glory and praise [for your sight]! We know this Man [Jesus] is a sinner [separated from God].”
• Romans 5:8But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• 1 Timothy 1:9understanding the fact that law is not enacted for the righteous person [the one in right standing with God], but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
• 1 Peter 4:18And if it is difficult for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the godless and the sinner?
• Matthew 26:7a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table.
• Mark 14:3While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head.
• John 11:2It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
• John 12:2So they gave a supper for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

Commentaries on Luke 7:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37A woman - which was a sinner - Many suppose that this woman had been a notorious public prostitute; but this is taking the subject by the very worst handle. My own opinion is, that she had been a mere heathen who dwelt in this city, (probably Capernaum), who, through the ministry of Christ, had been before this converted to God, and came now to give this public testimony of her gratitude to her gracious deliverer from the darkness and guilt of sin. I am…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37In the city - What city is meant is unknown. Some have supposed it was Nain; some Capernaum; some Magdala; and some Jerusalem. Which was a sinner - Who was depraved or wicked. This woman, it seems, was known to be a sinner - perhaps an abandoned woman or a prostitute. It is certain that she had much to be forgiven, and she had probably passed her life in crime. There is no evidence that this was the woman commonly called Mary Magdalene. An alabaster-box ……Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-50Verses 36-50 None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37a sinful woman: This suggests she was known in the community as a person with a bad moral reputation. Some people think she may have been a prostitute, but the passage does not state this explicitly. Alabaster is a soft stone, often white, yellow, or red. People used it to make costly containers, such as this beautiful jar.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-5037-38. a sinner--one who had led a profligate life. Note.--There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. (See on Lu 8:2.) an alabaster box of ointment--a perfume vessel, in some cases very costly (Joh 12:5). "The ointment has here a peculiar interest, as the offering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unhallowed work of sin" [Alford].Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 7:37

• Alabaster
• Anointing
• Box
• Eating
• Faith
• Jesus, the Christ
• Repentance
• Self-Righteousness
• Simon

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Alabaster
• Apparel
• Delicately
• Eating
• Frankly
• Instantly
• Magdalene
• Meals

Commentaries on Luke 7

• 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