English Standard Version
Luke 16:17
17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
Luke 16:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
- New International Version (NIV)It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.
Context of Luke 16:17
15And 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. 16"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. 18"Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. 19"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
Read all of Luke 16Luke 16:17 word by word
εὐκοπώτερον δέ ἐστιν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν παρελθεῖν ἢ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κεραίαν πεσεῖν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- it isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- easierεὐκοπώτεροςeukopōteros · easyG2123
- for heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- for heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- to passπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
- thanἤē · orG2228
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- tittleκεραίαkeraia · tittleG2762
- of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- to failπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
Cross-references for Luke 16:17
- Luke 21:33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
- Psalms 102:25Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
- Isaiah 51:6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.
- Matthew 5:18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
- 2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
- Revelation 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
- Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- Isaiah 40:8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
- Romans 3:31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
- 1 Peter 1:25but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Commentaries on Luke 16:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For heaven and earth to pass - See on Matthew 5:17, Matthew 5:18; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17See the notes at Matthew 5:18.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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17This does not mean the Law has lost its power. The new covenant fulfilled the Old Testament laws and prophets, but the Law remains (however, compare Acts 15:23–29). God will cause heaven and earth to pass away and replace them with a new heaven and earth at the end of the age (Revelation 21:1). But God's word lasts forever (Psalm 119:89, 160; Isaiah 40:8; 55:10–11).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 16:17
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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