Luke 13:21

Luke 13:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
• New International Version (NIV)It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."
• New King James Version (NKJV)It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

Context of Luke 13:21

19It is like a very small seed of the plant called mustard. A man took this seed and he planted it in his garden. The seed grew and it became a tree. It was so big that birds came and made their nests among its branches.’ 20Jesus then said, ‘Here is another example of what the kingdom of God is like. It is like how yeast works. A woman took some of it and she mixed it into three large bowls of flour. Then the yeast went through all the flour so that it grew big.’ 22Jesus was continuing his journey towards Jerusalem. On the way, he went through towns and villages. In each one, he taught the people. 23One day, somebody asked him, ‘Sir, will God only save a small number of people?’

Luke 13:21 word by word

ὁμοία ἐστὶν ζύμῃ ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• It isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• leavenζύμηzumē · leavenG2219
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• a womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• and hidἐγκρύπτωegkruptō · to mixG1470
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• measuresσάτονsaton · seahG4568
• of mealἄλευρονaleuron · flourG224
• tillἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• the wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• was leavenedζυμόωzumoō · to leavenG2220

Cross-references for Luke 13:21

• Matthew 13:33Jesus told the people another story. He said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is also like this. It is like how yeast works. A woman took the yeast and she mixed it into three large bowls of flour. Then the yeast went through all the flour so that it grew big.’
• Job 17:9Righteous people continue to do things that are right. People who do good things become stronger.
• Psalms 92:13They are like trees that someone has planted in the Lord's house. They grow well in the yard of our God's temple.
• Proverbs 4:18The life of righteous people is like the sun at dawn. It gets brighter and brighter until midday.
• Hosea 6:3We should respect the Lord's authority. We must try to know him better. Then he will certainly come to rescue us. He will come to us as surely as the sun appears each morning. He will help us as surely as the rain comes in spring and it makes the ground wet for plants to grow.’
• John 4:14But I can give people a different kind of water. Everyone who drinks that kind of water will never get thirsty again. The water that I give them will become like a well inside them. That well will continue to provide water that gives them life for ever with God.’
• John 15:2Some branches that are part of me may have no fruit on them. My Father completely removes all those branches. But other branches do have fruit. My Father cuts all those branches to make them better. Then they will be good and make more fruit.
• 1 Corinthians 5:6You should not be so proud of yourselves. Think about what yeast does in bread. A very small amount of yeast changes the whole loaf of bread.
• Philippians 1:6I know that God has begun to do good things in you. And I am sure that he will continue to work in you. Then, on the day when Jesus Christ returns, his work in you will be finished.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23I pray that God will help you to be completely good, as his people should be. He is the one who gives us peace in our minds. I pray that he will take care of you in every way, in your spirit, in your soul and in your body. Then you will not be guilty of anything that is bad, when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
• James 1:21So stop doing disgusting things. Stay away from the wicked things that are all around you. God has put his message deep inside you, and it can save you. So be careful to accept that message.

Commentaries on Luke 13:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Like leaven - See this explained, Matthew 13:33; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 See these parables explained in the notes at Matthew 13:31-32.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 Here is the progress of the gospel foretold in two parables, as in Mt 13. The kingdom of the Messiah is the kingdom of God. May grace grow in our hearts; may our faith and love grow exceedingly, so as to give undoubted evidence of their reality. May the example of God's saints be blessed to those among whom they live; and may his grace flow from heart to heart, until the little one becomes a thousand.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21It is like the leaven: Leaven (or yeast) can represent evil (see 12:1; 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). But here it shows the positive, spreading, and transforming power of the kingdom.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-3018-21. mustard seed ... leaven--(See on Mr 4:30-32). The parable of "the Leaven" sets forth, perhaps, rather the inward growth of the kingdom, while "the Mustard Seed" seems to point chiefly to the outward. It being a woman's work to knead, it seems a refinement to say that "the woman" here represents the Church, as the instrument of depositing the leaven. Nor does it yield much satisfaction to understand the "three measures of meal" of that threefold…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 13:21

• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Leaven (Yeast)
• Regeneration

In the dictionaries

• Bind
• Measure
• Nay
• Repent
• Jesus Christ
• Leaven
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Martha
• Parable

Commentaries on Luke 13

• 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