Luke 10:31

Luke 10:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
• New International Version (NIV)A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Context of Luke 10:31

29The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. 33“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.

Luke 10:31 word by word

κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• byκατάkata · according toG2596
• chanceσυγκυρίαsugkuria · coincidenceG4795
• there came downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• a certainτιςtis · oneG5100
• priestἱερεύςhiereus · priestG2409
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• wayὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• wayὁδόςhodos · roadG3598
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• when he sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• he passed by on the other sideἀντιπαρέρχομαιantiparerchomai · to passG492

Cross-references for Luke 10:31

• Ruth 2:3So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.
• 2 Samuel 1:6The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him.
• Ecclesiastes 9:11I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.
• Jeremiah 5:31the prophets give false prophecies, and the priests rule with an iron hand. Worse yet, my people like it that way! But what will you do when the end comes?
• Hosea 5:1“Hear this, you priests. Pay attention, you leaders of Israel. Listen, you members of the royal family. Judgment has been handed down against you. For you have led the people into a snare by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor.
• Hosea 6:9Priests form bands of robbers, waiting in ambush for their victims. They murder travelers along the road to Shechem and practice every kind of sin.
• Malachi 1:10“How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings.
• Job 6:14“One should be kind to a fainting friend, but you accuse me without any fear of the Almighty.
• Psalms 38:10My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind.
• Psalms 69:20Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me.
• Psalms 142:4I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.
• Proverbs 21:13Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.
• Proverbs 24:11Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death.
• James 2:13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
• 1 John 3:16We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Commentaries on Luke 10:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31And by chance - properly means the coincidence of time and circumstance. At the time in which the poor Jew was half dead, through the wounds which he had received, a priest came where he was. So the priest's coming while the man was in that state is the coincidence marked out by the original words.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31By chance - Accidentally, or as it happened. It means that he did not do it with a “design” to aid the man that was wounded. A certain priest - It is said that not less than 12,000 priests and Levites dwelt at Jericho; and as their business was at Jerusalem, of course there would be many of them constantly traveling on that road. When he saw him - He saw him lie, but came not near him. Passed by on the other side - On the farther side of the way. Did not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-37Verses 25-37 If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31a priest: Priests were descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi (Exodus 28:1–3). They served in the temple and offered sacrifices to God. passed by: If Aa priest or a Levite touched a dead body, they would become ceremonially unclean and could not serve in the temple. This priest was unwilling to risk ritual impurity by helping a person in serious trouble.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3231-32. came down a ... priest ... and a Levite--Jericho, the second city of Judea, was a city of the priests and Levites, and thousands of them lived there. The two here mentioned are supposed, apparently, to be returning from temple duties, but they had not learnt what that meaneth, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice' [Trench]. saw him--It was not inadvertently that he acted. came and looked--a further aggravation. passed by--although the law expressly…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 10:31

• Afflicted
• Commandments
• Duty
• Hypocrisy
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lawyer
• Love
• Neighbor
• Priest
• Readings, Select
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Adummim
• Careful
• Chance
• Fall
• Hire
• Mercy
• Trouble
• Compassion
• Jesus Christ
• Law in the New Testament

Commentaries on Luke 10

• 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