Luke 11 · Verse 41

Luke 11:41

But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
Luke 11:41, King James Version

Luke 11:41 in other translations

BSBBut give as alms the things that are within you, and you will see that everything is clean for you.
WEBBut give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.
ASVBut give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.
YLTBut what ye have give ye as alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you.
DARBYBut rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you.
BBEBut if you give to the poor such things as you are able, then all things are clean to you.
WebsterBut rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold, all things are clean to you.

What does Luke 11:41 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 11:39-41

39-41. cup and platter--remarkable example of our Lord's way of drawing the most striking illustrations of great truths from the most familiar objects and incidents of life. ravening--rapacity.

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 41. Alms. Charity. Benefactions to the poor.

Such things as ye have. Your property; though it has been gained unjustly: though you have lived by rapine, and have amassed wealth in an improper manner, yet, since you have it, it is your duty to make the best of it and do good. By giving to the poor, you may show your repentance for your crimes in amassing money in this manner. You may show that you disapprove of your former course of life, and are disposed henceforward to live honestly. If this be the meaning of this passage, then it shows what is the duty of those who have by unjust gains become wealthy, and who are then converted to God. It may not be possible for them in every case to make exact restitution to those whom they have injured; thousands of instances of wrong they may have forgotten; many persons whom they have injured may have died; but still they may show, by giving to others, that they do not think their gains acquired honestly, and that they truly repent. They may devote their property to God; distribute it to the poor; or give it to send the gospel to the heathen world. Thus may they show that they disapprove of their former conduct; and thus may be seen one great principle of God's government --that good finally comes out of evil.

And behold, &c. Doing this will show that you are a true penitent, and the remainder of your property you will enjoy with a feeling that you have done your duty, and no longer be smitten with the consciousness of hoarding unjust gains. The object of the Saviour here seems to have been to bring the Pharisee to repentance. Repentance consists in sorrow for sin, and in forsaking it. This he endeavoured to produce by showing him--

1st, the evil and hypocrisy of his conduct; and,

2nd, by exhorting him to forsake his sins, and to show this by doing good. Thus doing, he would evince that the mind was clean as well the body; the inside as well as the outside.

(a) "rather give alms" Is 58:7, Lk 12:22 (6) "alms" or, "as you are able"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 41 Give alms of such things as ye have - Meaning either what was within the dishes spoken of before; or what was within their houses or power: or what they had at hand, for so τα ενοντα is used by the purest Greek writers. Cease from rapine: far from spoiling the poor by wicked exactions, rather give them alms of every thing you possess; and when a part of every thing you have is sincerely consecrated to God for the use of the poor, then all that remains will be clean unto you; you will have the blessing of God in your basket and store, and every thing will be sanctified to you. These verses are very difficult, and are variously translated and interpreted by critics and divines. I have given what I believe to be our Lord's meaning, in the preceding paraphrase. For a description of the rapine, etc., of the Pharisees, see on Mat 23:25 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 11:37-54

We should all look to our hearts, that they may be cleansed and new-created; and while we attend to the great things of the law and of the gospel, we must not neglect the smallest matter God has appointed. When any wait to catch something out of our mouths, that they may insnare us, O Lord, give us thy prudence and thy patience, and disappoint their evil purposes. Furnish us with such meekness and patience that we…

Read the full comment on Luke 11:37-54 →

Luke 11:41 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.

πλὴνplēnBut [of]G4133
τὰtathe [things]G3588
ἐνόνταenontabeing withinG1751
δότεdotedo giveG1325
ἐλεημοσύνην,eleēmosunēnalms,G1654
καὶkaiandG2532
ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400
πάνταpantaall thingsG3956
καθαρὰkatharacleanG2513
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
ἐστιν.¶estinare.G1510

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

Cross references for Luke 11:41

  • Luke 12:33

    Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

  • James 1:27

    Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

  • Titus 1:15

    Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

  • Acts 10:15

    And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

  • Luke 16:9

    And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

  • Hebrews 13:16

    But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:7-9

    Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

  • Matthew 6:1-4

    Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

  • Isaiah 58:7-11

    Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: …

  • Daniel 4:27

    Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

  • Proverbs 19:17

    He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

  • Proverbs 14:31

    He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
rather.
12:33; 14:12-14; 16:9; 18:22; 19:8; De 15:8-10; Job 13:16-20; Ps 41:1
Ps 112:9; Pr 14:31; 19:17; Ec 11:1,2; Isa 58:7-11; Da 4:27; Mt 5:42
Mt 6:1-4; 25:34-40; 26:11; Ac 9:36-39; 10:31,32; 11:29; 24:17
2Co 8:7-9,12; 9:6-15; Eph 4:28; Heb 6:10; 13:16; Jas 1:27; 2:14-16
1Jo 3:16,17
of such things as ye have. or, as you are able. all.
Ac 10:15; Ro 14:14-18; 1Ti 4:4,5; Tit 1:15

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

Context

  • Luke 11:40

    Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

  • Luke 11:41

    But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

  • Luke 11:42

    But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Read all of Luke 11

Luke 11:41 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Empero de lo que os resta, dad limosna; y he aquí todo os será limpio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais donnez l’aumône de ce que vous avez; et voici, toutes choses vous seront nettes.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Gebet vielmehr Almosen von dem, was ihr habt, und siehe, alles ist euch rein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Verumtamen quod superest, date eleemosynam: et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis.