Luke 13 · Verse 32

Luke 13:32

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Luke 13:32, King James Version

Luke 13:32 in other translations

BSB	But Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I will keep driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal.’
WEB	He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.
ASV	And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am perfected.
YLT	and he said to them, ‘Having gone, say to this fox, Lo, I cast forth demons, and perfect cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am being perfected;
DARBY	And he said to them, Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and accomplish cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am perfected;
BBE	And he said, Go and say to that fox, I send out evil spirits and do works of mercy today and tomorrow, and on the third day my work will be complete.
Webster	And he said to them, Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

What does Luke 13:32 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

32. that fox--that crafty, cruel enemy of God's innocent servants. Behold, I cast out devils and I do cures--that is, "Plot on and ply thy wiles; I also have My plans; My works of mercy are nearing completion, but some yet remain; I have work for to-day and to-morrow too, and the third day; by that time I shall be where his jurisdiction reaches not; the guilt of My blood shall not lie at his door; that dark deed is reserved for others." He does not say, I preach the Gospel--that would have made little impression upon Herod--in the light of the merciful character of Christ's actions the malice of Herod's snares is laid bare [Bengel]. to-day, to-morrow, the third day--remarkable language expressive of successive steps of His work yet remaining, the calm deliberateness with which He meant to go through with them, one after another, to the last, unmoved by Herod's threat, yet the rapid march with which they were now hastening to completion. (Compare Lu 22:37). I shall be perfected--I finish my course, I attain completion.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 32. Tell that fox. A fox is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, and of artful mischief. The word is also used to denote a dissembler. Herod was a wicked man, but the particular thing to which Jesus here alludes is not his vices, but his cunning, his artifice, in endeavouring to remove him out of his territory. He had endeavoured to do it by stratagem--by sending these men who pretended great friendship for his life.

Behold, I cast out devils, &c. Announce to him the fact that I am working miracles in his territory, and that I shall continue to do it. I am not afraid of his art or his enmity. I am engaged in my appropriate work, and shall continue to be as long as is proper, in spite of his arts and his threats.

Today and tomorrow. A little time. The words seem here to be used not strictly, but proverbially--to denote a short space of time. Let not Herod be uneasy. I am doing no evil; I am not violating the laws. I only cure the sick, &c. In a little time this part of my work will be done, and I shall retire from his dominions.

The third day. After a little time. Perhaps, however, he meant literally that he would depart on that day for Jerusalem; that for two or three days more he would remain in the villages of Galilee, and then go on his way to Jerusalem.

I shall be perfected. Rather, I shall have ended my course here; I shall have perfected what I purpose to do in Galilee. It does not refer to his personal perfection, for he was always perfect, but it means that he would have finished or completed what he purposed to do in the regions of Herod. He would have completed his work, and would be ready then to go.

(e) "that fox" Zeph 3:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 32 Tell that fox - Herod was a very vicious prince, and lived in public incest with his sister-in-law, Mar 6:17 : if our Lord meant him here, it is hard to say why the character of fox, which implies cunning, design, and artifice, to hide evil intentions, should be attributed to him, who never seemed studious to conceal his vices. But we may suppose that Christ, who knew his heart, saw that he covered his desire for the destruction of our Lord, under the pretense of zeal for the law and welfare of the Jewish people. A fox among the Jews appears to have been the emblem of a wicked ruler, who united cunning with cruelty, and was always plotting how he might aggrandize himself by spoiling the people. See a quotation in Schoettgen. The following observation from the judicious Bishop Pearce deserves attention. "It is not certain," says he, "that Jesus meant Herod here; he might only have intended to call that man so, from whom the advice of departing came, (whether from the speaker himself, or the person who sent him), for it is probable, that the advice was given craftily, and with design to frighten Jesus, and, make him go from that place." To-day and to-morrow - I am to work miracles for two days more, and on the third day I shall be put to death. But it is probable that this phrase only means, that he had but a short time to live, without specifying its duration. Perfected - Or finished, τελειουμαι. I shall then have accomplished the purpose for which I came into the world, leaving nothing undone which the counsel of God designed me to complete. Hence, in reference to our Lord, the word implies his dying; as the plan of human redemption was not finished, till he bowed his head and gave up the ghost on the cross: see Joh 19:30, where the same word is used. It is used also in reference to Christ's death, Heb 2:10; Heb 5:9; see also Act 20:24, and Heb 12:23. The word finish, etc., is used in the same sense both by the Greeks and Latins. See Kypke.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 13:31-35

Christ, in calling Herod a fox, gave him his true character. The greatest of men were accountable to God, therefore it became him to call this proud king by his own name; but it is not an example for us. I know, said our Lord, that I must die very shortly; when I die, I shall be perfected, I shall have completed my undertaking. It is good for us to look upon the time we have before us as but little, that we may…

Read the full comment on Luke 13:31-35 →

Luke 13:32 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.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846

πορευθέντεςporeuthentesHaving goneG4198

εἴπατεeipatedo sayG2036

τῇtēato theG3588

ἀλώπεκιalōpekifoxG258

ταύτῃ·tautēthat;G3778

ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400

ἐκβάλλωekballōI cast outG1544

δαιμόνιαdaimoniademonsG1140

καὶkaiandG2532

ἰάσειςiaseiscuresG2392

ἀποτελῶapotelōI completeG658

σήμερονsēmerontodayG4594

καὶkaiandG2532

αὔριονauriontomorrowG839

καὶkaiandG2532

τῇtēaon theG3588

τρίτῃtritēthird [day]G5154

τελειοῦμαι.teleioumaiI am perfected.G5048

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

Cross references for Luke 13:32

Hebrews 2:10
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
John 17:4-5
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 11:8-10
His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Ezekiel 13:4
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
Luke 9:7-9
Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
Hebrews 7:28
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Mark 6:14
And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Luke 23:8-11
And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
John 10:32
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
Luke 3:19-20
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
Mark 6:26-28
And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that fox.This was probably Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, who is described by Josephus as a crafty and incestuous prince, with which the character given him by our Lord, and the narratives of the evangelists, exactly coincide.
3:19,20; 9:7-9; 23:8-11; Eze 13:4; Mic 3:1-3; Zep 3:3; Mr 6:26-28
I cast.
9:7; Mr 6:14; Joh 10:32; 11:8-10
I shall.
Joh 17:4,5; 19:30; *Gr:
Heb 2:10; 5:9

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

Context

Luke 13:31
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Luke 13:32
And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Luke 13:33
Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Read all of Luke 13

Luke 13:32 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y les dijo: Id, y decid á aquella zorra: He aquí, echo fuera demonios y acabo sanidades hoy y mañana, y al tercer día soy consumado.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il leur dit: Allez, dites à ce renard: Voici, je chasse des démons et j’accomplis des guérisons aujourd’hui et demain, et le troisième jour je suis consommé.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er sprach zu ihnen: Gehet hin und saget diesem Fuchs: Siehe, ich treibe Dämonen aus und vollbringe Heilungen heute und morgen, und am dritten Tage werde ich vollendet.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et ait illis: Ite, et dicite vulpi illi: Ecce ejicio dæmonia, et sanitates perficio hodie, et cras, et tertia die consummor.