Christian Standard Bible
Luke 16:15
15And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.
Luke 16:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
- New International Version (NIV)He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Context of Luke 16:15
13No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him. And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight. 16“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it. 17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out.
Read all of Luke 16Luke 16:15 word by word
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ δικαιοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ δὲ θεὸς γινώσκει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὑψηλὸν βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Yeσύsu · youG4771
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- justifyδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
- yourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- butδέde · thenG1161
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- knowethγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- is highly esteemedὑψηλόςhupsēlos · highG5308
- amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- abominationβδέλυγμαbdelugma · abominationG946
Cross-references for Luke 16:15
- Luke 10:29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
- Luke 11:39But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- Luke 20:20They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so that they could catch him in what he said, to hand him over to the governor’s rule and authority.
- Proverbs 20:6Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person?
- Matthew 6:2So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.
- Matthew 23:5They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
- Romans 3:20For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
- James 2:21Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar?
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you test the heart and that you are pleased with what is right. I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to you.
- 2 Chronicles 6:30may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and may you forgive and give to everyone according to all their ways, since you know each heart, for you alone know the human heart,
- Psalms 7:9Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God.
- Psalms 139:1Lord, you have searched me and known me.
- Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.
- John 2:25and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.
Commentaries on Luke 16:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Ye - justify yourselves - Ye declare yourselves to be just. Ye endeavor to make it appear to men that ye can still feel an insatiable thirst after the present world, and yet secure the blessings of another; that ye can reconcile God and mammon, - and serve two masters with equal zeal and affection; but God knoweth your hearts, - and he knoweth that ye are alive to the world, and dead to God and goodness. Therefore, howsoever ye may be esteemed among men…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 To this parable our Lord added a solemn warning. Ye cannot serve God and the world, so divided are the two interests. When our Lord spoke thus, the covetous Pharisees treated his instructions with contempt. But he warned them, that what they contended for as the law, was a wresting of its meaning: this our Lord showed in a case respecting divorce. There are many covetous sticklers for the forms of godliness, who are the bitterest enemies to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. covetous ... derided him--sneered at Him; their master sin being too plainly struck at for them to relish. But it was easier to run down than to refute such teaching.Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 16:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 16
- 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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