New English Translation
Luke 7:38
38As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil.
Luke 7:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
- New International Version (NIV)As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Context of Luke 7:38
36Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. 39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
Read all of Luke 7Luke 7:38 word by word
καὶ στᾶσα ὀπίσω παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, κλαίουσα τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῖς θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἐξέμασσεν καὶ κατεφίλει τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤλειφεν τῷ μύρῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- stoodἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- atπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- feetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- feetπούςpous · footG4228
- behindὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
- weepingκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
- and beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
- to washβρέχωbrechō · to rain downG1026
- with tearsδάκρυ, δάκρυονdakru dakruon · teardropG1144
- did wipeἐκμάσσωekmassō · to wipe offG1591
- with the hairsθρίξthrix trichos · hairG2359
- headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
- kissedκαταφιλέωkataphileō · to kissG2705
- anointedἀλείφωaleiphō · to anointG218
- with the ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464
Cross-references for Luke 7:38
- Luke 6:21“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
- Luke 22:62And he went outside and wept bitterly.
- Judges 2:4When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
- Ezra 10:1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly.
- Psalms 6:6I am exhausted as I groan; all night long I drench my bed in tears; my tears saturate the cushion beneath me.
- Psalms 38:18Yes, I confess my wrongdoing, and I am concerned about my sins.
- Psalms 51:17The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.
- Psalms 126:5Those who shed tears as they plant will shout for joy when they reap the harvest.
- Isaiah 61:3to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.
- Jeremiah 31:9They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
- Joel 2:12“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”
- Zechariah 12:10“I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.
- Matthew 5:4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.
- James 4:9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair.
- Luke 7:44Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Commentaries on Luke 7:38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Stood at his feet behind him - In taking their meals, the eastern people reclined on one side; the loins and knees being bent to make the more room, the feet of each person were turned outwards behind him. This is the meaning of standing Behind at his Feet. Began to wash his feet with tears - - , She began to water his feet - to let a shower of tears fall on them. As the Jews wore nothing like our shoes, (theirs being a mere sole, bound about the foot and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Stood at his feet behind him - They reclined, at their meals, on their left side, and their feet, therefore, were extended from the table, so that persons could easily approach them. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. Began to wash his feet - The Jews wore sandals. These were taken off when they entered a house. It was an act of hospitality and kindness to wash the feet of a guest. “She” therefore began to show her love for the Saviour, and at the same time…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-50Verses 36-50 None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted. But while they feel they cannot enough express self-abhorrence on account of sin, and admiration of his mercy, the self-sufficient will be disgusted, because the gospel encourages such repenting sinners. The Pharisee, instead of rejoicing in the tokens of the woman's repentance, confined his thoughts to her former bad character. But without…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38she stood behind Him: At a banquet, people ate while lying on their sides around a low table, with their feet stretched out behind them. Because of this, the woman could not reach the head of Jesus to anoint him (to pour oil on him as a sign of honor), so she poured the perfume on his feet. wipe them with her hair: In that culture, a woman normally kept her hair covered in public. Letting her hair down could bring shame and even give a husband reason for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 36-5037-38. a sinner--one who had led a profligate life. Note.--There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was. (See on Lu 8:2.) an alabaster box of ointment--a perfume vessel, in some cases very costly (Joh 12:5). "The ointment has here a peculiar interest, as the offering by a penitent of what had been an accessory in her unhallowed work of sin" [Alford].Read the comment
Topics related to Luke 7:38
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Luke 7
- 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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