Luke 9:62

Luke 9:62 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Context of Luke 9:62

60But He said to him, “Allow the [spiritually] dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and spread the news about the kingdom of God.” 61Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord [as Your disciple]; but first let me say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things left behind] is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:62 word by word

εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· οὐδεὶς ἐπιβαλὼν τὴν χεῖρα ἐπ᾽ ἄροτρον καὶ βλέπων εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω εὔθετός ἐστιν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• No manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• having putἐπιβάλλωepiballō · to put on/seizeG1911
• handχείρcheir · handG5495
• toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the ploughἄροτρονarotron · plowG723
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• lookingβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• backὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• fitεὔθετοςeuthetos · suitableG2111
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Luke 9:62

• Luke 17:31On that day, whoever is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, must not come down [and go inside] to take them out; and likewise whoever is in the field must not turn back.
• Psalms 78:8And not be like their fathers— A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart to know and follow God, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.
• Acts 15:37Now Barnabas wanted to take [his cousin] John, who was called Mark, along with them.
• 2 Timothy 4:10for Demas, having loved [the pleasures of] this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
• Hebrews 10:38But My righteous one [the one justified by faith] shall live by faith [respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him]; And if he draws back [shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him.
• James 1:6But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.
• 2 Peter 2:20For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world by [personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition has become worse for them than the first.

Commentaries on Luke 9:62

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 62Put his hand to the plough - Can any person properly discharge the work of the ministry who is engaged in secular employments? A farmer and a minister of the Gospel are incompatible characters. As a person who holds the plough cannot keep on a straight furrow if he look behind him; so he who is employed in the work of the ministry cannot do the work of an evangelist, if he turn his desires to worldly profits. A good man has said: "He who thinks it…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 62No man, having put his hand … - To put one‘s hand to a plow is a proverbial expression to signify undertaking any business. In order that a plowman may accomplish his work, it is necessary to look onward - to be intent on his employment - not to be looking back with regret that he undertook it. So in religion. He that enters on it must do it with his whole heart, He that comes still loving the world - still looking with regret on its pleasures, its…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 57-62Verses 57-62 Here is one that is forward to follow Christ, but seems to have been hasty and rash, and not to have counted the cost. If we mean to follow Christ, we must lay aside the thoughts of great things in the world. Let us not try to join the profession of Christianity, with seeking after worldly advantages. Here is another that seems resolved to follow Christ, but he begs a short delay. To this man Christ first gave the call; he said to him, Follow…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 61-62Let me bid farewell to my family: This statement is similar to the prophet Elisha's request to Elijah (1 Kings 19:19–20). Jesus asked for an even greater commitment from his followers. puts his hand to the plow and then looks back: Farmers in the ancient world guided a light plow, a tool used to prepare soil for planting, with one hand and the oxen (work animals used for farming) with the other. Looking away would cause the plow to turn away. For a…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6262. No man, &c.--As ploughing requires an eye intent on the furrow to be made, and is marred the instant one turns about, so will they come short of salvation who prosecute the work of God with a distracted attention, a divided heart. Though the reference seems chiefly to ministers, the application is general. The expression "looking back" has a manifest reference to "Lot's wife" (Ge 19:26; and see on Lu 17:32). It is not actual return to the world, but a…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 9:62

• Backsliders
• Care
• Character
• Decision
• Excuses
• Instability
• Jesus, the Christ
• Procrastination

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Kingdom of God
• Advantage
• Agriculture
• Belong
• Bless
• Close

Commentaries on Luke 9

• 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