Luke 7:37

Luke 7:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
• New International Version (NIV)A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,

Context of Luke 7:37

35But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.” 36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

Luke 7:37 word by word

καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἁμαρτωλός. καὶ ἐπιγνοῦσα ὅτι κατάκειται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου, κομίσασα ἀλάβαστρον μύρουRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• a womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268
• when she knewἐπιγινώσκωepiginōskō · to come to knowG1921
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• sat at meatἀνάκειμαιanakeimai · to reclineG345
• the Pharisee’sΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• houseοἰκίαoikia · homeG3614
• broughtκομίζωkolumbaō · to bring/be repaidG2865
• an alabaster boxἀλάβαστρονalabastron · jarG211
• of ointmentμύρονmuron · ointmentG3464

Cross-references for Luke 7:37

• Luke 7:34The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’
• Luke 5:30But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”
• Luke 18:13“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.’
• Luke 19:7But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
• Matthew 21:31“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
• John 9:24So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”
• Romans 5:8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
• 1 Timothy 1:9For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders.
• 1 Peter 4:18And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
• Matthew 26:7While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
• Mark 14:3Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.
• John 11:2This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.
• John 12:2A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him.

Commentaries on Luke 7:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37A woman - which was a sinner - Many suppose that this woman had been a notorious public prostitute; but this is taking the subject by the very worst handle. My own opinion is, that she had been a mere heathen who dwelt in this city, (probably Capernaum), who, through the ministry of Christ, had been before this converted to God, and came now to give this public testimony of her gratitude to her gracious deliverer from the darkness and guilt of sin. I am…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37In the city - What city is meant is unknown. Some have supposed it was Nain; some Capernaum; some Magdala; and some Jerusalem. Which was a sinner - Who was depraved or wicked. This woman, it seems, was known to be a sinner - perhaps an abandoned woman or a prostitute. It is certain that she had much to be forgiven, and she had probably passed her life in crime. There is no evidence that this was the woman commonly called Mary Magdalene. An alabaster-box ……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. 37a sinful woman: This suggests she was known in the community as a person with a bad moral reputation. Some people think she may have been a prostitute, but the passage does not state this explicitly. Alabaster is a soft stone, often white, yellow, or red. People used it to make costly containers, such as this beautiful jar.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 7:37

• Alabaster
• Anointing
• Box
• Eating
• Faith
• Jesus, the Christ
• Repentance
• Self-Righteousness
• Simon

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Alabaster
• Apparel
• Delicately
• Eating
• Frankly
• Instantly
• Magdalene
• Meals

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