Luke Chapter 17

New Testament Gospel 37 Verses

What is Luke 17 about?

The most detailed Gospel — Jesus as the Son of Man, with special emphasis on the poor, women, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And he said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2It were well for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.
3Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4And if he sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
5And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye would say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you.
7But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;
8and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded?
10Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.
11And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee.
12And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off:
13and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed.
15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God;
16and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18Were there none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger?
19And he said unto him, Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
20And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
22And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
23And they shall say to you, Lo, there! Lo, here! go not away, nor follow after [them]:
24for as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day.
25But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.
26And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all:
30after the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.
31In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.
32Remember Lot`s wife.
33Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose [his life] shall preserve it.
34I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
36[There shall be two men in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.]
37And they answering say unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body [is], thither will the eagles also be gathered together.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Then said he unto his disciples, etc.] In the Alexandrian copy, and in “three” of Beza's exemplars it is read, “his disciples”; and so read the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; that is, Jesus said to his disciples what follows, as the Syriac and Persic versions express, and the latter reads, he said “again”. About the time that he delivered the above parable concerning the rich man and Lazarus, he repeated to his disciples what he had before said to them on another occasion, (<401807>Matthew 18:7) it is impossible but that offences will come; considering the decree of God, the malice of Satan, the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“OFFENSES--FAITH--HUMILITY. (Luk 17:1-10) (See Mat 18:6-7).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“It is impossible - It cannot but happen. Such is the state of things that “it will be.” See these verses explained in the notes at Matthew 18:6-7. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“It is impossible but offences will come - And they ever did and do come chiefly by Pharisees, that is, men who trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others. Mat 18:6; Mar 9:42. Luke 17:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“17:1 what sorrow awaits: Traditionally rendered woe! (see study notes on 6:24-26; 11:42-52). • the person who does the tempting: Leaders bear a greater responsibility because they are accountable not only for themselves, but for those they lead (see Jas 3:1).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“It is: Mat 16:23, Mat 18:7; Rom 14:13, Rom 14:20, Rom 14:21, Rom 16:17; Co1 8:13, Co1 10:32, Co1 11:19; Th2 2:10-12; Rev 2:14, Rev 2:20, Rev 13:14-18 Luke 17:2”
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