New International Version
Luke 12:48
48But 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
Context of Luke 12:48
46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47“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. 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. 49“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
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 anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible.
- Acts 17:30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
- Romans 2:12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
- 1 Timothy 1:13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
- Luke 16:2So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
- Genesis 39:8But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.
- Matthew 25:14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
- 1 Timothy 1:11that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
- 1 Timothy 6:20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
- James 3:1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach 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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