Luke 7:38

Luke 7:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
• New International Version (NIV)As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

Context of Luke 7:38

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. 37Now 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; and 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].” 40Jesus, answering, said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Teacher, say it.”

Luke 7:38 word by word

καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, κλαίουσα τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἐξέμασσεν καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤλειφεν τῷ μύρῳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• atπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• feetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• feetπούςpous · footG4228
• behindὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
• weepingκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
• and beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
• to washβρέχωbrechō · to rain downG1026
• with tearsδάκρυ, δάκρυονdakru dakruon · teardropG1144
• did wipeἐκμάσσωekmassō · to wipe offG1591
• with the hairsθρίξthrix trichos · hairG2359
• headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• kissedκαταφιλέωkataphileō · to kissG2705
• anointedἀλείφωaleiphō · to anointG218
• with the ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464

Cross-references for Luke 7:38

• Luke 6:21Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are you who hunger now [for righteousness, actively seeking right standing with God], for you will be [completely] satisfied. Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are you who weep now [over your sins and repent], for you will laugh [when the burden of sin is lifted].
• Luke 22:62And he went out and wept bitterly [deeply grieved and distressed].
• Judges 2:4When the Angel of the Lord had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people raised their voices and wept.
• Ezra 10:1Now while Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and laying himself face down before the house of God, a very large group from Israel, of men, women, and children, gathered to him, for the people wept bitterly.
• Psalms 6:6I am weary with my groaning; Every night I soak my bed with tears, I drench my couch with my weeping.
• Psalms 38:18For I do confess my guilt and iniquity; I am filled with anxiety because of my sin.
• Psalms 51:17My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
• Psalms 126:5They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.
• Isaiah 61:3To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], The oil of joy instead of mourning, The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
• Jeremiah 31:9They will come with weeping [in repentance and for joy], And by [their] prayer [for the future] I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters, On a straight path in which they will not stumble, For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim (Israel) is My firstborn.”
• Joel 2:12“Even now,” says the Lord, “Turn and come to Me with all your heart [in genuine repentance], With fasting and weeping and mourning [until every barrier is removed and the broken fellowship is restored];
• Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace (unmerited favor) and supplication. And they will look at Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him as one who weeps bitterly over a firstborn.
• Matthew 5:4“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
• 2 Corinthians 7:10For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.
• James 4:9Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom.
• Luke 7:44Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house [but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest]; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair [demonstrating her love].

Commentaries on Luke 7:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Stood at his feet behind him - In taking their meals, the eastern people reclined on one side; the loins and knees being bent to make the more room, the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing Behind at his Feet. Began to wash his feet with tears - - , She began to water his feet - to let a shower of tears fall on them. As the Jews wore nothing like our shoes, (theirs being a mere sole, bound about the foot and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Stood at his feet behind him - They reclined, at their meals, on their left side, and their feet, therefore, were extended from the table, so that persons could easily approach them. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. Began to wash his feet - The Jews wore sandals. These were taken off when they entered a house. It was an act of hospitality and kindness to wash the feet of a guest. “She” therefore began to show her love for the Saviour, and at the same time…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. 38she stood behind Him: At a banquet, people ate while lying on their sides around a low table, with their feet stretched out behind them. Because of this, the woman could not reach the head of Jesus to anoint him (to pour oil on him as a sign of honor), so she poured the perfume on his feet. wipe them with her hair: In that culture, a woman normally kept her hair covered in public. Letting her hair down could bring shame and even give a husband reason for…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 7:38

• Ablution
• Anointing
• Eating
• Faith
• Feasts
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kiss
• Repentance
• Self-Righteousness
• Simon
• Weeping

In the dictionaries

• Anoint
• Apparel
• Banquet
• Delicately
• Eating
• Frankly
• Hair
• Instantly
• Kiss
• Magdalene

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