Luke 18:8
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Luke 18:8 in other translations
| BSB | I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” |
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| WEB | I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” |
| ASV | I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? |
| YLT | I say to you, that He will execute the justice to them quickly; but the Son of Man having come, shall he find the faith upon the earth?' |
| DARBY | I say unto you that he will avenge them speedily. But when the Son of man comes, shall he indeed find faith on the earth? |
| BBE | I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth? |
| Webster | I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, will he find faith on the earth? |
What does Luke 18:8 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 18:6-8
6-8. the Lord--a name expressive of the authoritative style in which He interprets His own parable.
Barnes' Notes
Nevertheless. But. Notwithstanding this. Though this is true that God will avenge his elect, yet will he find his elect faithful? The danger is not that God will be unfaithful--he will surely be true to his promises; but the danger is that his elect--his afflicted people--will be discouraged; will not persevere in prayer; will not continue to have confidence in him; and will, under heavy trials, sink into despondency. The sole meaning of this phrase, therefore, is, that there is more danger that his people would grow weary, than that God would be found unfaithful and fail to avenge his elect. For this cause Christ spoke the parable, and by the design of the parable this passage is to be interpreted.
Son of man cometh. This probably refers to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem--the coming of the Messiah, by his mighty power, to abolish the ancient dispensation and to set up the new.
Faith. The word faith is sometimes taken to denote the whole of religion, and it has been understood in this sense here; but there is a close connection in what Christ says, and it should be understood as referring to what he said before. The truth that he had been teaching was, that God would deliver his people from their calamities and save them, though he suffered them to be long tried. He asks them here whether, when he came, he should find this faith, or a belief of this truth, among his followers? Would they be found persevering in prayer, and believing that God would yet avenge them; or would they cease to pray always, and faint? This is not to be understood, therefore, as affirming that when Christ comes to judgment there will be few Christians on the earth, and that the world will be overrun with wickedness. That may be true, but it is not the truth taught here.
The earth. The land--referring particularly to the land of Judea. The discussion had particular reference to their trials and persecutions in that land. This question implies that in those trials many professed disciples might faint and turn back, and many of his real followers almost lose sight of this great truth, and begin to inquire whether God would interpose to save them. The same question may be asked respecting any other remarkable visitation of the Son of God in affliction. When tried and persecuted, do we believe that God will avenge us ? Do we pray always and not faint ? Have we faith to believe that, though clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne ? And when storms of persecution assail us, can we go to God and confidently commit our cause to him, and believe that he will bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noon-day?
(d) "shall he find faith" Mt 24:12
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 18:1-8
All God's people are praying people. Here earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies is taught. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. Even to the end there will still be ground for the same complaint of weakness of faith.
Luke 18:8 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Luke 18:8
- Hebrews 10:23-26
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
- 2 Peter 3:8-9
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- Matthew 24:9-13
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. …
- Psalms 46:5
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
- Luke 17:26-30
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. …
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
- Psalms 143:7-9
Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
- 2 Peter 2:3
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
- Matthew 24:24
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
- James 5:1-8
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. …
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 46:5; 143:7-9; 2Pe 2:3; 3:8,9
when.
Mt 24:9-13,24; 1Th 5:1-3; Heb 10:23-26; Jas 5:1-8
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Luke 18:7
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
- Luke 18:8
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
- Luke 18:9
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luke 18:8 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Os digo que los defenderá presto. Empero cuando el Hijo del hombre viniere, ¿hallará fe en la tierra? |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Je vous dis que bientôt il leur fera justice. Mais le fils de l’homme quand il viendra, trouvera-t-il de la foi sur la terre? |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Ich sage euch, daß er ihr Recht schnell ausführen wird. Doch wird wohl der Sohn des Menschen, wenn er kommt, den Glauben finden auf der Erde? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Dico vobis quia cito faciet vindictam illorum. Verumtamen Filius hominis veniens, putas, inveniet fidem in terra? |