God’s Word Translation
Luke 12:47
47“The servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t get ready to do it will receive a hard beating.
Luke 12:47 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
- New International Version (NIV)“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Context of Luke 12:47
45On the other hand, that servant may think that his master is taking a long time to come home. The servant may begin to beat the other servants and to eat, drink, and get drunk. 46His master will return at an unexpected time. Then his master will punish him severely and assign him a place with unfaithful people. “The servant who knew what his master wanted but didn’t get ready to do it will receive a hard beating. 48But the servant who didn’t know ⌞what his master wanted⌟ and did things for which he deserved punishment will receive a light beating. A lot will be expected from everyone who has been given a lot. More will be demanded from everyone who has been entrusted with a lot. 49“I have come to throw fire on the earth. I wish that it had already started!
Read all of Luke 12Luke 12:47 word by word
Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ὁ γνοὺς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἑτοιμάσας ἢ ποιήσας πρὸς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ δαρήσεται πολλάς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
- servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
- which knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- hisἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- lord’sκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
- willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- preparedἑτοιμάζωhetoimazō · to make readyG2090
- notμήmē · notG3361
- neitherμηδέmēde · norG3366
- didποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- according toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- shall be beatenδέρωderō · to beat upG1194
- with manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
Cross-references for Luke 12:47
- Luke 10:12I can guarantee that judgment day will be easier for Sodom than for that city.
- Numbers 15:30“But any native-born Israelite or foreigner who deliberately does something wrong insults the Lord and must be excluded from the people.
- Matthew 11:22I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
- John 9:41Jesus told them, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be sinners. But now you say, ‘We see,’ so you continue to be sinners.
- John 12:48Those who reject me by not accepting what I say have a judge appointed for them. The words that I have spoken will judge them on the last day.
- John 15:22If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
- John 19:11Jesus answered Pilate, “You wouldn’t have any authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. That’s why the man who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
- Acts 17:30“God overlooked the times when people didn’t know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.
- 2 Corinthians 2:15To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying.
- James 4:17Whoever knows what is right but doesn’t do it is sinning.
- Deuteronomy 25:2If the person who’s in the wrong deserves to be beaten, the judge will order him to lie down. Then the judge will have him beaten with as many lashes as the crime deserves.
Commentaries on Luke 12:47
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 47Shall be beaten with many stripes - Criminals among the Jews could not be beaten with more than forty stripes; and as this was the sum of the severity to which a whipping could extend, it may be all that our Lord here means. But, in some cases, a man was adjudged to receive fourscore stripes! How could this be, when the law had decreed only forty? Answer: By doubling the crime. He received forty for each crime; if he were guilty of two offenses, he might…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 47Which knew his lord‘s will - Who knew what his master wished him to do. He that knows what God commands and requires. Many stripes - Shall be severely and justly punished. They who have many privileges, who are often warned, who have the gospel, and do not repent and believe, shall be far more severely punished than others. They who are early taught in Sunday schools, or by pious parents, or in other ways, and who grow up in sin and impenitence, will have…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 12:47
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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