Luke 9:62

“But Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to a plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.””

Luke 9:62 · direct translation from the Greek
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Three meetings with Jesus on the road; two ask to do something else firstFollowing Jesus

With the Greek beneath

62

Luke 9:62, word by word

JesusἸησοῦςIēsous

Jesus

Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).

Where else “Iēsous” appears
saidεἶπενeipen

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “eipen” appears
who putsἐπιβαλὼνepibalōn

lay on

To put something on something else; also to seize someone.

Where else “epibalōn” appears
his handχεῖραcheira

hand

The part of the body at the end of the arm, used to hold and touch.

Where else “cheira” appears
a plowἄροτρονarotron

plow

Plow.

Where else “arotron” appears
looksβλέπωνblepōn

see

To use the eyes to perceive something; also to look with intent.

Where else “blepōn” appears
backὀπίσωopisō

behind

Behind, backward.

Where else “opisō” appears
isἐστινestin

be

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “estin” appears
fitεὔθετόςeuthetos

fit, suitable

Fit, suitable, useful.

Where else “euthetos” appears
for the kingdomβασιλείᾳbasileiai

kingdom of God

God's rule, which comes with Jesus.

Where else “basileiai” appears
of Godθεοῦtheou

God

The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.

Where else “theou” appears

Parallel passages

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

Following Jesus

Matthew 8:18-22

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

See them side by side

Luke 9:57-62

57And as they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59And he said to another, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 60But he said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61And another also said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first allow me to say goodbye to those at my home.” 62But Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to a plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 8:18-22

18Now seeing large crowds around him, Jesus gave orders to go away to the other side. 19And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20And Jesus says to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22But Jesus says to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The context

61And another also said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first allow me to say goodbye to those at my home.”

62 · This verse (above)

Read all of Luke 9

To study Luke 9 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    When Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?”, what do the crowds say, and what does Peter answer? (vv. 18-20)

  2. 2. What it means

    Jesus says anyone who wants to follow him must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. What reason does he give? (vv. 23-25)

  3. 3. How I live it

    The disciples argued about who was greatest, and Jesus stood a child beside him (vv. 46-48). Whom could you give more attention to today?

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