New Living Translation
Luke 12:48
48But 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.
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
46The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful. 47“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 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. 49“I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.
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“Suppose you sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands. Even if you are unaware of what you have done, you are guilty and will be punished for your sin.
- Acts 17:30“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
- Romans 2:12When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it.
- 1 Timothy 1:13even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.
- Luke 16:2So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’
- Genesis 39:8But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household.
- Matthew 25:14“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.
- John 15:22They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
- 1 Corinthians 9:17If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.
- 1 Timothy 1:11that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
- 1 Timothy 6:20Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.
- James 3:1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries