New English Translation
Luke 12:48
48But the one who did not know his master’s will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Luke 12:48
46then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know his master’s will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked. 49“I have come to bring fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished!
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 a person sins and violates any of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated (although he did not know it at the time, but later realizes he is guilty), then he will bear his punishment for iniquity
- Acts 17:30Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,
- Romans 2:12For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
- 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief,
- Luke 16:2So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’
- Genesis 39:8But he refused, saying to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought to his household with me here, and everything that he owns he has put into my care.
- Matthew 25:14“For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility.
- 1 Timothy 1:11This accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me.
- 1 Timothy 6:20O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and absurdities of so-called “knowledge.”
- James 3:1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.
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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