Luke 18 · Verse 12

Luke 18:12

I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:12, King James Version

Luke 18:12 in other translations

BSBI fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
WEBI fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’
ASVI fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.
YLTI fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things--as many as I possess.
DARBYI fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.
BBETwice in the week I go without food; I give a tenth of all I have.
WebsterI fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

What does Luke 18:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 18:11-12

Lu 18:9-14. Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. 11-12. stood--as the Jews in prayer (Mr 11:25). God, &c.--To have been kept from gross iniquities was undoubtedly a just cause of thankfulness to God; but instead of the devoutly humble, admiring frame which this should inspire, the Pharisee arrogantly severs himself from the rest of mankind, as quite above them, and, with a contemptuous look at the poor…

Read the full comment on Luke 18:11-12 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. I fast twice, &c. This was probably the Jewish custom. The Pharisees are said to have fasted regularly on the second and fifth days of every week in private. This was in addition to the public days of fasting required in the law of Moses, and they therefore made more a matter of merit of it be cause it was voluntary.

I give tithes. A tithe means the tenth part of a thing. A tenth part of the possessions of the Jews was required for the support of the Levites, Nu 18:21. In addition to the tithes required strictly by law, the Pharisees had tithed everything which they possessed--even the smallest matters--as mint, anise, cummin, &c., Lk 11:42. It was this, probably, on which he so particularly prided himself. As this could not be proved to be strictly required in the law, it had more the appearance of great piety, and therefore he particularly dwelt on it.

I possess. This may mean either all which I have, or all which I pain or acquire. It is not material which meaning be considered the true one. The religion of the Pharisee, therefore, not seeking a religion that should dwell in the heart and regulate the feelings; and in making public and ostentatious professions of his own goodness. Most of all was this abominable in the sight of God, who looks into the heart, and who sees wickedness there when the external actions may be blameless. We may learn from the case of the Pharisee --

1st. That it is not the man who has the most orthodox belief that has, of course, the most piety;

2nd. That men may be externally moral, and not be righteous in the sight of God;

3rd. That they may be very exact in the external duties of religion, and even go beyond the strict letter of the law; that they may assume a great appearance of sanctity, and still be strangers to true piety; and

4th. That ostentation in religion, or a boasting before God of what we are and of what we have done, is abominable in his sight. This spoils everything, even if the life should be tolerably blameless, and if there should be real piety.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 I give tithes of all that I possess - Or, of all I acquire, κτωμαι. Raphelius has well observed, that this verb, in the present tense, signifies to acquire - in the preter, to possess: the Pharisee's meaning seems to be, "As fast as I gain any thing, I give the tenth part of it to the house of God and to the poor." Those who dedicate a certain part of their earnings to the Lord should never let it rest with themselves, lest possession should produce covetousness. This was the Pharisee's righteousness, and the ground on which he builded his hope of final salvation. That the Pharisees had a strong opinion of their own righteousness, the following history will prove: - "Rabbi Simeon, the son of Jochai, said: The whole world is not worth thirty righteous persons, such as our father Abraham. If there were only thirty righteous persons in the world, I and my son should make two of them; but if there were but twenty, I and my son would be of the number; and if there were but ten, I and my son would be of the number: and if there were but five, I and my son would be of the five; and if there were but two, I and my son would be those two; and if there were but one, myself should be that one." Bereshith Rabba, s. 35, fol. 34. This is a genuine specimen of Pharisaic pride. No wonder that our Lord accused these of pride and vain glory: they were far from humility, and consequently far from righteousness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 18:9-14

This parable was to convince some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. God sees with what disposition and design we come to him in holy ordinances. What the Pharisee said, shows that he trusted to himself that he was righteous. We may suppose he was free from gross and scandalous sins. All this was very well and commendable. Miserable is the condition of those who come short of…

Read the full comment on Luke 18:9-14 →

Luke 18:12 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.

νηστεύωnēsteuōI fastG3522
δὶςdistwiceG1364
τοῦtouin theG3588
σαββάτου,sabbatouweek,G4521
ἀποδεκατῶapodekatōI titheG586
πάνταpantaall thingsG3956
ὅσαhosaas much asG3745
κτῶμαι.¶ktōmaiI gain.G2932

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

Cross references for Luke 18:12

  • 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.

  • Matthew 23:23-24

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

  • Luke 17:10

    So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

  • Matthew 9:14

    Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

  • 1 Timothy 4:8

    For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

  • Matthew 15:7-9

    Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

  • Leviticus 27:30-33

    And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

  • Matthew 6:1

    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.

  • Malachi 3:8

    Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

  • Isaiah 58:2-3

    Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

  • Numbers 18:24

    But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

  • Romans 10:1-3

    Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fast.
17:10; Nu 23:4; 1Sa 15:13; 2Ki 10:16; Isa 1:15; 58:2,3; Zec 7:5,6
Mt 6:1,5,16; 9:14; 15:7-9; Ro 3:27; 10:1-3; 1Co 1:29; Ga 1:14
Eph 2:9; 1Ti 4:8
I give.
11:42; Le 27:30-33; Nu 18:24; Mal 3:8; Mt 23:23,24

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

Context

  • Luke 18:11

    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.

  • Luke 18:12

    I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

  • Luke 18:13

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Read all of Luke 18

Luke 18:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ayuno dos veces á la semana, doy diezmos de todo lo que poseo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je jeûne deux fois la semaine, je donne la dîme de tout ce que je possède.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich faste zweimal in der Woche, ich verzehnte alles, was ich erwerbe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		jejuno bis in sabbato, decimas do omnium quæ possideo.