Luke 13:1–5
Jesus denies that those struck by tragedy were worse sinners than others
Study it word by word1Now there were present at that very time some who were reporting to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2And he answered and said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were sinners more than all the other Galileans because they have suffered these things?
3No, I tell you; but unless you change your minds, you will all likewise perish.
4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were debtors more than all the people who live in Jerusalem?
5No, I tell you; but unless you change your minds, you will all perish in the same way.”
In its context
…
6And he was telling this parable: “Someone had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and did not find any.
7And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years I have been coming looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I do not find any. Cut it down; why should it also use up the ground?’
Its words in the original
- ΠαρῆσανParēsan· be present
Be present, have come.
- καιρῷkairōi· time, right time
Time, the appointed moment.
- ἀπαγγέλλοντεςapangellontes· report, tell
Report, announce, tell what happened.
- ΓαλιλαίωνGalilaiōn· Galilean
Galilean, from Galilee.
- αἷμαhaima· blood
Blood; also life poured out.
- ΠιλᾶτοςPilatos· Pilate
Pilate: Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.
- ἔμιξενemixen· mix
Mix, mingle.
- θυσιῶνthysiōn· sacrifice
Sacrifice, offering.
- ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheis· answer
Answer, reply; speak up.
- εἶπενeipen· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ΔοκεῖτεDokeite· think, seem
Think, suppose, seem; also be held in high regard.
- ἁμαρτωλοὶhamartōloi· sinner
Sinner; in the Pharisees' mouth, someone who did not keep the law.
- ἐγένοντοegenonto· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- πεπόνθασινpeponthasin· suffer
Suffer, undergo.
- οὐχίouchi· not
Not (in questions that expect "yes").
- μετανοῆτεmetanoēte· change one's mind
Change one's mind: turn around one's way of thinking, and with it one's way of living, to return to God. It is usually translated "repent".
- ὁμοίωςhomoiōs· likewise
In the same way, likewise.
- ἀπολεῖσθεapoleisthe· destroy, perish
Destroy, cause to perish; in the middle voice, perish, be lost.
- ἔπεσενepesen· fall
Fall; fall to the ground.
- πύργοςpyrgos· tower
Tower, watchtower.
- ΣιλωὰμSilōam· Siloam
Siloam: a pool and district in the south of Jerusalem.
- ἀπέκτεινενapekteinen· kill
Kill.
- ὀφειλέταιopheiletai· debtor
Debtor: someone who owes something; also someone who owes for a wrong, an offender.
- ἀνθρώπουςanthrōpous· human being, man
Human being, person, man (without distinguishing male or female).
- κατοικοῦνταςkatoikountas· dwell, live
Dwell, live in a place, inhabit.
- ἸερουσαλήμIerousalēm· Jerusalem
Jerusalem: the city of David and of the temple, the capital of Judea.
- ὡσαύτωςhōsautōs· likewise
Likewise, in the same way.