Luke 16 · Verse 15

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 16:15, King James Version

Luke 16:15 in other translations

BSBSo He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
WEBHe said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
ASVAnd he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
YLTand he said to them, ‘Ye are those declaring yourselves righteous before men, but God doth know your hearts; because that which among men is high, is abomination before God;
DARBYAnd he said to them, Ye are they who justify themselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what amongst men is highly thought of is an abomination before God.
BBEAnd he said, You take care to seem right in the eyes of men, but God sees your hearts: and those things which are important in the opinion of men, are evil in the eyes of God.
WebsterAnd he said to them, Ye are they who justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God.

What does Luke 16:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 16:14-18

14-18. covetous ... derided him--sneered at Him; their master sin being too plainly struck at for them to relish. But it was easier to run down than to refute such teaching.

Read the full comment on Luke 16:14-18 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15.

(g) "justify" Lk 10:29 (h) "God knoweth" Ps 7:9, Jer 17:10 (i) "esteemed" Prov 16:5, Mal 3:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Ye - justify yourselves - Ye declare yourselves to be just. Ye endeavor to make it appear to men that ye can still feel an insatiable thirst after the present world, and yet secure the blessings of another; that ye can reconcile God and mammon, - and serve two masters with equal zeal and affection; but God knoweth your hearts, - and he knoweth that ye are alive to the world, and dead to God and goodness. Therefore, howsoever ye may be esteemed among men, ye are an abomination before him. See the note on Luk 7:29.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 16:13-18

To this parable our Lord added a solemn warning. Ye cannot serve God and the world, so divided are the two interests. When our Lord spoke thus, the covetous Pharisees treated his instructions with contempt. But he warned them, that what they contended for as the law, was a wresting of its meaning: this our Lord showed in a case respecting divorce. There are many covetous sticklers for the forms of godliness, who are…

Read the full comment on Luke 16:13-18 →

Luke 16:15 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
ὑμεῖςhumeisYou yourselvesG4771
ἐστεesteareG1510
οἱhoithoseG3588
δικαιοῦντεςdikaiountesjustifyingG1344
ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousthemselvesG1438
ἐνώπιονenōpionbeforeG1799
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
ἀνθρώπων,anthrōpōnmen,G444
ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdebutG1161
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
γινώσκειginōskeiknowsG1097
τὰςtastheG3588
καρδίαςkardiasheartsG2588
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ὅτιhotiforG3754
τὸtothat whichG3588
ἐνenamongG1722
ἀνθρώποιςanthrōpoismenG444
ὑψηλὸνhupsēlon[is] exaltedG5308
βδέλυγμαbdelugmaan abominationG946
ἐνώπιονenōpionbeforeG1799
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouGodG2316

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

Cross references for Luke 16:15

  • Proverbs 21:2

    Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

  • 1 Samuel 16:7

    But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5

    Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

  • Jeremiah 17:10

    I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

  • Proverbs 16:5

    Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

  • Acts 15:8

    And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

  • 1 Peter 3:4

    But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

  • Luke 11:39

    And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:17

    I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

  • Revelation 2:23

    And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

  • Luke 10:29

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

  • 1 Peter 5:5

    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ye.
10:29; 11:39; 18:11,21; 20:20,47; Pr 20:6; Mt 6:2,5,16; 23:5,25-27
Ro 3:20; Jas 2:21-25
God.
1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 29:17; 2Ch 6:30; Ps 7:9; 139:1,2; Jer 17:10; Joh 2:25
Joh 21:17; Ac 1:18; 15:8; 1Co 4:5; Re 2:23
for.
Ps 10:3; 49:13,18; Pr 16:5; Isa 1:10-14; Am 5:21,22; Mal 3:15
1Pe 3:4; 5:5

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

Context

  • Luke 16:14

    And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

  • 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 16:16

    The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Read all of Luke 16

Luke 16:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y díjoles: Vosotros sois los que os justificáis á vosotros mismos delante de los hombres; mas Dios conoce vuestros corazones; porque lo que los hombres tienen por sublime, delante de Dios es abominación.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur dit: Vous êtes ceux qui se justifient eux-mêmes devant les hommes; mais Dieu connaît vos cœurs: car ce qui est haut estimé parmi les hommes est une abomination devant Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sprach zu ihnen: Ihr seid es, die sich selbst rechtfertigen vor den Menschen, Gott aber kennt eure Herzen; denn was unter den Menschen hoch ist, ist ein Greuel vor Gott.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait illis: Vos estis qui justificatis vos coram hominibus: Deus autem novit corda vestra: quia quod hominibus altum est, abominatio est ante Deum.