English Standard Version
Luke 12:48
48But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Luke 12:48 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
- New International Version (NIV)But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
Context of Luke 12:48
46the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. 49"I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
Read all of Luke 12Luke 12:48 word by word
ὁ δὲ μὴ γνοὺς ποιήσας δὲ ἄξια πληγῶν δαρήσεται ὀλίγας. παντὶ δὲ ᾧ ἐδόθη πολύ, πολὺ ζητηθήσεται παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ, περισσότερον αἰτήσουσιν αὐτόν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- he that knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- notμήmē · notG3361
- did commitποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- things worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
- of stripesπληγήplēgē · plague/blow/woundG4127
- shall be beatenδέρωderō · to beat upG1194
- with fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- unto whomsoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- is givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- shall beζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- men have committedπαρατίθημιparatithēmi · to set beforeG3908
- they will askαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
- the moreπερισσόςperissos · excessiveG4053
Cross-references for Luke 12:48
- Leviticus 5:17"If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.
- Acts 17:30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
- Romans 2:12For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
- 1 Timothy 1:13though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
- Luke 16:2And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'
- Genesis 39:8But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.
- Matthew 25:14"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
- 1 Timothy 1:11in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
- 1 Timothy 6:20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge,"
- James 3:1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Commentaries on Luke 12:48
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 48Shall be beaten with few - For petty offenses the Jews in many cases inflicted so few as four, five, and six stripes. See examples in Lightfoot. From this and the preceding verse we find that it is a crime to be ignorant of God's will; because to every one God has given less or more of the means of instruction. Those who have had much light, or the opportunity of receiving much, and have not improved it to their own salvation, and the good of others…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 48Few stripes - The Jews never inflicted more than forty stripes for one offence, Deuteronomy 25:3. For smaller offences they inflicted only four, five, six, etc., according to the nature of the crime. In allusion to this, our Lord says that he “that knew not” - that is, he who had comparatively little knowledge - would suffer a punishment proportionally light. He refers, doubtless, to those who have fewer opportunities, smaller gifts, or fewer teachers…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-53Verses 41-53 All are to take to themselves what Christ says in his word, and to inquire concerning it. No one is left so ignorant as not to know many things to be wrong which he does, and many things to be right which he neglects; therefore all are without excuse in their sin. The bringing in the gospel dispensation would occasion desolations. Not that this would be the tendency of Christ's religion, which is pure, peaceable, and loving; but the effect of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 47-48Who knows ... who unknowingly: Sins committed in ignorance receive less punishment than deliberate sins (Numbers 15:22–26; Psalm 19:13; compare Luke 23:34). From everyone who has been given much: Believers will be held responsible for the knowledge and resources they have been given (James 3:1). A sin in ignorance is still a sin.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 41-4841-48. unto us or even to all?--us the Twelve, or all this vast audience?Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 12:48
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 12
- 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
- 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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