Luke 18:13

Luke 18:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
• New International Version (NIV)“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Context of Luke 18:13

11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 15One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.

Luke 18:13 word by word

Ὁ δὲ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπᾶραι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτυπτεν τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ λέγων· ὁ θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the publicanτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
• standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• afar offμακρόθενmakrothen · from afarG3113
• wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• notοὐou · noG3756
• lift upἐπαίρωepairō · to lift upG1869
• so much asοὐδέoude · norG3761
• eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• smoteτύπτωtuptō · to strikeG5180
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• breastστῆθοςstēthos · chestG4738
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• be mercifulἱλάσκομαιhilaskomai · to propitiateG2433
• to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268

Cross-references for Luke 18:13

• Luke 5:8When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
• Luke 7:6So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor.
• Luke 17:12As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance,
• Ezra 9:6I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
• Job 42:6I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
• Psalms 40:12For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.
• Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
• Ezekiel 16:63You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silent shame when I forgive you of all that you have done. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
• Daniel 9:7“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.
• Acts 2:37Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
• Luke 23:48And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.
• Jeremiah 31:18I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.
• 2 Corinthians 7:11Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.
• Psalms 25:7Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.
• Psalms 41:4“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
• Psalms 51:1Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

Commentaries on Luke 18:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13The publican, standing afar off - Not because he was a heathen, and dared not approach the holy place; (for it is likely he was a Jew); but because he was a true penitent, and felt himself utterly unworthy to appear before God. Would not lift up - his eyes - Holding down the head, with the eyes fixed upon the earth, was, A sign of deep distress. Of a consciousness and confession of guilt. And, It was the very posture that the Jewish rabbins required in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Standing afar off - Afar off from the “temple.” The place where prayer was offered in the temple was the court of women. The Pharisee advanced to the side of the court nearest to the temple, or near as he could; the publican stood on the other side of the same court if he was a Jew, or in the court of the Gentiles if he was a pagan, as far as possible from the temple, being conscious of his unworthiness to approach the sacred place where God had his holy…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of the righteousness of this…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13he beat his breast: This action showed deep sorrow and repentance (turning away from sin).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. standing afar off--as unworthy to draw near; but that was the way to get near (Psa 34:18; Is 57:15). would not lift up--blushing and ashamed to do so (Ezr 9:6). smote, &c.--kept smiting; for anguish (Lu 23:48), and self-reproach (Jr 31:19). be merciful--"be propitiated," a very unusual word in such a sense, only once else used in the New Testament, in the sense of "making reconciliation" by sacrifice (He 2:17). There may therefore, be some allusion to…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 18:13

• Bigotry
• Confidence
• Humility
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Penitent
• Prayer
• Publicans
• Repentance
• Self-Righteousness
• Works

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Admiration
• Bear
• Elect
• Prayer
• Breast
• Court of the Sanctuary; Tabernacle; Temple
• Eye
• Grace

Commentaries on Luke 18

• 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