Luke 18 · Verse 14

Luke 18:14

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luke 18:14, King James Version

Luke 18:14 in other translations

BSBI tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
WEBI tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
ASVI say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
YLTI say to you, this one went down declared righteous, to his house, rather than that one: for every one who is exalting himself shall be humbled, and he who is humbling himself shall be exalted.'
DARBYI say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than that other. For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
BBEI say to you, This man went back to his house with God's approval, and not the other: for everyone who makes himself high will be made low and whoever makes himself low will be made high.
WebsterI tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

What does Luke 18:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. rather than the other--The meaning is, "and not the other"; for the Pharisee was not seeking justification, and felt no need of it. This great law of the Kingdom of God is, in the teaching of Christ, inscribed, as in letters of gold, over its entrance gate. And in how many different forms is it repeated (Psa 138:6; 147:6; Lu 1:53). To be self-emptied, or, "poor in spirit," is the fundamental and indispensable preparation for the reception of the "grace which bringeth salvation": wherever this exists, the "mourning" for it which precedes "comfort" and the earnest "hungerings and thirstings after righteousness" which are rewarded by the "fulness" of it, will, as we see here, be surely found. Such, therefore, and such only, are the justified ones (Job 33:27, 28; Psa 34:18; Is 57:15).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. I tell you. The Pharisees would have said that the first man here was approved. Jesus assures them that they judged erroneously. God judges of this differently from men.

Justified. Accepted or approved of God. The word justify means to declare or treat as righteous. In this case it means that in their prayers the one was approved and the other not; the one went down with the favour of God in answer to his petitions, the other not.

For every one, &;c. Lk 14:11;

(h) "for everyone that exalteth" Job 22:29, Mt 23:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Went down to his house justified - His sin blotted out; and himself accepted. Rather than the other - Η εκεινος: that is, the other was not accepted, because he exalted himself - he made use of the mercies which he acknowledged he owed to God, to make claims on the Divine approbation, and to monopolize the salvation of the Most High! He was abased, because he vainly trusted that he was righteous, and depended on what he had been enabled to do, and looked not for a change of heart, nor for reconciliation to God. It is a strange perversion of the human mind, to attempt to make God our debtor by the very blessings which his mere mercy has conferred upon us! It was a maxim among the Jews, that whoever brought a sacrifice to the temple returned justified. But our Lord shows that this depended on the state of mind - if they were not humbled under a sense of sin, they were not justified, though they had even offered a sacrifice.

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 18:14 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.

λέγωlegōI sayG3004
ὑμῖν·huminto you;G4771
κατέβηkatebēwent downG2597
οὗτοςhoutosthis oneG3778
δεδικαιωμένοςdedikaiōmenosjustifiedG1344
εἰςeistoG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
οἶκονoikonhouseG3624
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
ἐκεῖνον.ekeinonthat [one].G1565
ὅτιhotiForG3754
πᾶςpaseveryoneG3956
ὁhowhoG3588
ὑψῶνhupsōnis exaltingG5312
ἑαυτὸνhe'autonhimselfG1438
ταπεινωθήσεται,tapeinōthēsetaiwill be humbled,G5013
ὁhothe [one]G3588
δὲdehoweverG1161
ταπεινῶνtapeinōnhumblingG5013
ἑαυτὸνhe'autonhimselfG1438
ὑψωθήσεται.¶hupsōthēsetaiwill be exalted.G5312

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

Cross references for Luke 18:14

  • Luke 14:11

    For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

  • 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.

  • James 4:10

    Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

  • Matthew 23:12

    And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

  • Proverbs 29:23

    A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

  • James 4:6

    But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

  • Luke 1:52

    He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

  • Psalms 138:6

    Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

  • Isaiah 57:15

    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

  • Matthew 5:3

    Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

  • 1 Peter 5:5-6

    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. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  • Job 25:4

    How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
went.
5:24,25; 7:47-50; 1Sa 1:18; Ec 9:7
justified.
10:29; 16:15; Job 9:20; 25:4; Ps 143:2; Isa 45:25; 53:11; Ro 3:20
Ro 4:5; 5:1; 8:33; Ga 2:16; Jas 2:21-25
every.
1:52; 14:11; Ex 18:11; Job 22:29; 40:9-13; Ps 138:6; Pr 3:34; 15:33
Pr 16:18,19; 18:12; 29:23; Isa 2:11-17; 57:15; Da 4:37; Hab 2:4
Mt 5:3; 23:12; Jas 4:6,10; 1Pe 5:5,6

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Luke 18:14

    I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

  • Luke 18:15

    And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Read all of Luke 18

Luke 18:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Os digo que éste descendió á su casa justificado antes que el otro; porque cualquiera que se ensalza, será humillado; y el que se humilla, será ensalzado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je vous dis que celui-ci descendit en sa maison justifié plutôt que l’autre; car quiconque s’élève, sera abaissé; et celui qui s’abaisse sera élevé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich sage euch: Dieser ging gerechtfertigt hinab in sein Haus vor jenem; denn jeder, der sich selbst erhöht, wird erniedrigt werden; wer aber sich selbst erniedrigt, wird erhöht werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dico vobis, descendit hic justificatus in domum suam ab illo: quia omnis qui se exaltat, humiliabitur, et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur.