English Standard Version
Luke 10:31
31Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
Context of Luke 10:31
29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
Read all of Luke 10Luke 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 she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.
- 2 Samuel 1:6And the young man who told him said, "By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.
- Jeremiah 5:31the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
- Hosea 5:1Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment is for you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor.
- Hosea 6:9As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.
- Malachi 1:10Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.
- Job 6:14"He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
- Psalms 38:10My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
- Psalms 69:20Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
- Psalms 142:4Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.
- Proverbs 21:13Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
- Proverbs 24:11Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
- James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- 1 John 3:16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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