Luke 12:53

“they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against the mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.””

Luke 12:53 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

53

Allusion · Micah 7:6

Go to Micah 7:6

Both texts describe division within the family: father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • πατὴρpatērG3962אָבavH1“father”
  • υἱῷhuiōiG5207בֵןvenH1121“son”
  • μήτηρmētērG3384אִמָּimaH517“mother”
  • θυγατέραthygateraG2364בַּתbatH1323“daughter”
  • πενθερὰpentheraG3994חֲמֹתָjamotaH2545“mother-in-law”
  • νύμφηνnymphēnG3565כַּלָּהkalaH3618“bride”

Luke 12:53, word by word

they will be dividedδιαμερισθήσονταιdiameristhēsontai

be divided

To be split into factions.

Where else “diameristhēsontai” appears
fatherπατὴρpatēr

parents

A family's father; sometimes father and mother.

Where else “patēr” appears
sonυἱῷhuiōi

son

A son.

Where else “huiōi” appears
motherμήτηρmētēr

mother

The woman who gives birth to a child and raises it.

Where else “mētēr” appears
daughterθυγατέραthygatera

daughter

The girl or woman born to a father and mother.

Where else “thygatera” appears
mother-in-lawπενθερὰpenthera

mother-in-law

Mother-in-law.

Where else “penthera” appears
her daughter-in-lawνύμφηνnymphēn

daughter-in-law

A son's wife.

Where else “nymphēn” appears

Translation note

Words that recall Micah 7:6.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Not peace, but a sword

Matthew 10:34-39Luke 14:26-27

A similar saying; scholars discuss whether it is the same saying in another setting or a repeated one.

See them side by side

Luke 12:51-53

51Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against the mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.”

Matthew 10:34-39

34Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and a person’s enemies will be the members of his household. 37The one who holds father or mother dearer than me is not worthy of me; and the one who holds son or daughter dearer than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Luke 14:26-27

26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life as well, he cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

The context

52For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three;

53 · This verse (above)

54And he was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, at once you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and so it happens.

Read all of Luke 12

To study Luke 12 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does the rich man plan to do with his harvest, and what does God say to him? (vv. 16-21)

  2. 2. What it means

    Jesus says, “Do not worry about your life,” pointing to the ravens and the lilies. What reason does he give for not being anxious? (vv. 22-31)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Jesus says where our treasure is, our heart will be too (v. 34). What takes most of your time and attention today?

How to use it