Luke 10 · Verse 29

Luke 10:29

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Luke 10:29, King James Version

Luke 10:29 in other translations

BSB	But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
WEB	But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
ASV	But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
YLT	And he, willing to declare himself righteous, said unto Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?'
DARBY	But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
BBE	But he, desiring to put himself in the right, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Webster	But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

What does Luke 10:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

29. willing--"wishing," to get himself out of the difficulty, by throwing on Jesus the definition of "neighbor," which the Jews interpreted very narrowly and technically, as excluding Samaritans and Gentiles [Alford].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 29. To justify himself. Desirous to appear blameless, or to vindicate himself, and show that he had kept the law. Jesus wished to lead him to a proper view of his own sinfulness, and his real departure from the law. The man was desirous of showing that he had kept the law; or perhaps he was desirous of justifying himself for asking the question; of showing that it could not be so easily settled; that a mere reference to the words of the law did not determine it. It was still a question what was meant by neighbour. The Pharisees held that the Jews only were to be regarded as such, and that the obligation did not extend at all to the Gentiles. The lawyer was probably ready to affirm that he had discharged faithfully his duty to his countrymen, and had thus kept the law, and could justify himself. Every sinner is desirous of justifying himself. He seeks to do it by his own works. For this purpose he perverts the meaning of the law, destroys its spirituality, and brings down the law to his standard, rather than attempt to frame his life by its requirements.

(f) "justify" Job 32:2, Lk 16:15, Rom 4:2, Gal 3:11, Jas 2:24 (g) "neighbour" Mt 5:43,44

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 29 Willing to justify himself - Wishing to make it appear that he was a righteous man, and that consequently he was in the straight road to the kingdom of God, said, Who is my neighbor? supposing our Lord would have at once answered, "Every Jew is to be considered as such, and the Jews only." Now as he imagined he had never been deficient in his conduct to any person of his own nation, he thought he had amply fulfilled the law. This is the sense in which the Jews understood the word neighbor, as may be seen from Lev 19:15-18. But our Lord shows here, that the acts of kindness which a man is bound to perform to his neighbor when in distress, he should perform to any person, of whatever nation, religion, or kindred, whom he finds in necessity. As the word πλησιον signifies one who is near, Anglo Saxon, he that is next, this very circumstance makes any person our neighbor whom we know; and, if in distress, an object of our most compassionate regards. If a man came from the most distant part of the earth, the moment he is near you he has a claim upon your mercy and kindness, as you would have on his, were your dwelling-place transferred to his native country. It is evident that our Lord uses the word πλησιον (very properly translated neighbor, from nae or naer, near, and buer, to dwell) in its plain, literal sense. Any person whom you know, who dwells hard by, or who passes near you, is your neighbor while within your reach.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 10:25-37

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…

Read the full comment on Luke 10:25-37 →

Luke 10:29 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHo<the>G3588

δὲdeButG1161

θέλωνthelōndesiringG2309

δικαιῶσαιdikaiōsaito justifyG1344

ἑαυτὸνhe'autonhimselfG1438

εἶπενeipenhe saidG2036

πρὸςprostoG4314

τὸνton<the>G3588

Ἰησοῦν·IēsounJesus;G2424

καὶkaiAndG2532

τίςtiswhoG5101

ἐστίνestinisG1510

μουmoumyG3165

πλησίον;plēsionneighbour?G4139

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 10:29

Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Luke 18:9-11
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Matthew 5:43-44
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Leviticus 19:34
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Luke 10:36
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
Romans 4:2
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Job 32:2
Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
James 2:24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

willing.
16:15; 18:9-11; Le 19:34; Job 32:2; Ro 4:2; 10:3; Ga 3:11; Jas 2:24
And.
36; Mt 5:43,44

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Luke 10:28
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Luke 10:29
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Luke 10:30
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Read all of Luke 10

Luke 10:29 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas él, queriéndose justificar á sí mismo, dijo á Jesús: ¿Y quién es mi prójimo?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais lui, voulant se justifier lui-même, dit à Jésus: Et qui est mon prochain?
German Elberfelder 1871	Indem er aber sich selbst rechtfertigen wollte, sprach er zu Jesu: Und wer ist mein Nächster?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ille autem volens justificare seipsum, dixit ad Jesum: Et quis est meus proximus?