Luke 10:31

Luke 10:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
• New International Version (NIV)A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Context of Luke 10:31

29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.

Luke 10:31 word by word

κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• chanceσυγκυρίαsugkuria · coincidenceG4795
• there came downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• priestἱερεύςhiereus · priestG2409
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• wayὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• when he sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• he passed by on the other sideἀντιπαρέρχομαιantiparerchomai · to passG492

Cross-references for Luke 10:31

• Ruth 2:3So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.
• 2 Samuel 1:6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him.
• Ecclesiastes 9:11Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this. But what will you do at the end of it?
• Hosea 5:1Hear this, priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, royal house! For the judgment applies to you because you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor.
• Hosea 6:9Like raiders who wait in ambush for someone, a band of priests murders on the road to Shechem. They commit atrocities.
• Malachi 1:10“I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle a useless fire on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Armies, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
• Job 6:14A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.
• Psalms 38:10My heart races, my strength leaves me, and even the light of my eyes has faded.
• Psalms 69:20Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I waited for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, but found no one.
• Psalms 142:4Look to the right and see: no one stands up for me; there is no refuge for me; no one cares about me.
• Proverbs 21:13The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.
• Proverbs 24:11Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter.
• James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
• 1 John 3:16This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Commentaries on Luke 10:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31And by chance - properly means the coincidence of time and circumstance. At the time in which the poor Jew was half dead, through the wounds which he had received, a priest came where he was. So the priest's coming while the man was in that state is the coincidence marked out by the original words.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31By chance - Accidentally, or as it happened. It means that he did not do it with a “design” to aid the man that was wounded. A certain priest - It is said that not less than 12,000 priests and Levites dwelt at Jericho; and as their business was at Jerusalem, of course there would be many of them constantly traveling on that road. When he saw him - He saw him lie, but came not near him. Passed by on the other side - On the farther side of the way. Did not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-37Verses 25-37 If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31a priest: Priests were descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi (Exodus 28:1–3). They served in the temple and offered sacrifices to God. passed by: If Aa priest or a Levite touched a dead body, they would become ceremonially unclean and could not serve in the temple. This priest was unwilling to risk ritual impurity by helping a person in serious trouble.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3231-32. came down a ... priest ... and a Levite--Jericho, the second city of Judea, was a city of the priests and Levites, and thousands of them lived there. The two here mentioned are supposed, apparently, to be returning from temple duties, but they had not learnt what that meaneth, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice' [Trench]. saw him--It was not inadvertently that he acted. came and looked--a further aggravation. passed by--although the law expressly…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 10:31

• Afflicted
• Commandments
• Duty
• Hypocrisy
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lawyer
• Love
• Neighbor
• Priest
• Readings, Select
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Adummim
• Careful
• Chance
• Fall
• Hire
• Mercy
• Trouble
• Compassion
• Jesus Christ
• Law in the New Testament

Commentaries on Luke 10

• 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