God’s Word Translation
Luke 18:13
13“But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Luke 18:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
- New International Version (NIV)“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Context of Luke 18:13
11The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’ “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14“I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.” 15Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.
Read all of Luke 18Luke 18:13 word by word
Ὁ δὲ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπᾶραι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτυπτεν τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the publicanτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
- standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- afar offμακρόθενmakrothen · from afarG3113
- wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- notοὐou · noG3756
- lift upἐπαίρωepairō · to lift upG1869
- so much asοὐδέoude · norG3761
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- smoteτύπτωtuptō · to strikeG5180
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- breastστῆθοςstēthos · chestG4738
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- be mercifulἱλάσκομαιhilaskomai · to propitiateG2433
- to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
Cross-references for Luke 18:13
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!”
- Luke 7:6Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell Jesus, “Sir, don’t bother. I don’t deserve to have you come into my house.
- Luke 17:12As he went into a village, ten men with a skin disease met him. They stood at a distance
- Ezra 9:6and said, “I am ashamed, my God. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven.
- Job 42:6That is why I take back what I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry.”
- Psalms 40:12Countless evils have surrounded me. My sins have caught up with me so that I can no longer see. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost heart.
- Isaiah 6:5So I said, “Oh, no! I’m doomed. Every word that passes through my lips is sinful. I live among people with sinful lips. I have seen the king, the Lord of Armies!”
- Ezekiel 16:63You will remember and be ashamed. You will never again open your mouth because of your disgrace when I forgive you for everything you did, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”
- Daniel 9:7You, Lord, are righteous. But we—the men of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, and all the Israelites whom you scattered in countries near and far—are still ashamed because we have been unfaithful to you.
- Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were deeply upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
- Luke 23:48Crowds had gathered to see the sight. But when all of them saw what had happened, they cried and returned to the city.
- Jeremiah 31:18“I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say, ‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined. I was like a young, untrained calf. Turn me, and I will be turned, because you are the Lord my God.
- 2 Corinthians 7:11When you became distressed in a godly way, look at how much devotion it caused you to have. You were ready to clear yourselves of the charges against you. You were disgusted with the wrong that had been done. You were afraid. You wanted to see us. You wanted to show your concern for us. You were ready to punish the wrong that had been done. In every way you have demonstrated that you are people who are innocent in this matter.
- Psalms 25:7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my rebellious ways. Remember me, O Lord, in keeping with your mercy and your goodness.
- Psalms 41:4I said, “O Lord, have pity on me! Heal my soul because I have sinned against you.”
- Psalms 51:1Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy. In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
Commentaries on Luke 18:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13The publican, standing afar off - Not because he was a heathen, and dared not approach the holy place; (for it is likely he was a Jew); but because he was a true penitent, and felt himself utterly unworthy to appear before God. Would not lift up - his eyes - Holding down the head, with the eyes fixed upon the earth, was, A sign of deep distress. Of a consciousness and confession of guilt. And, It was the very posture that the Jewish rabbins required in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Standing afar off - Afar off from the “temple.” The place where prayer was offered in the temple was the court of women. The Pharisee advanced to the side of the court nearest to the temple, or near as he could; the publican stood on the other side of the same court if he was a Jew, or in the court of the Gentiles if he was a pagan, as far as possible from the temple, being conscious of his unworthiness to approach the sacred place where God had his holy…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13he beat his breast: This action showed deep sorrow and repentance (turning away from sin).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. standing afar off--as unworthy to draw near; but that was the way to get near (Psa 34:18; Is 57:15). would not lift up--blushing and ashamed to do so (Ezr 9:6). smote, &c.--kept smiting; for anguish (Lu 23:48), and self-reproach (Jr 31:19). be merciful--"be propitiated," a very unusual word in such a sense, only once else used in the New Testament, in the sense of "making reconciliation" by sacrifice (He 2:17). There may therefore, be some allusion to…Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 18:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 18
- 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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