Luke 10 10

Luke 10:10 kjv

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Luke 10:10 nkjv

But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

Luke 10:10 niv

But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,

Luke 10:10 esv

But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,

Luke 10:10 nlt

But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

Luke 10 verses

Luke 10 10 Meaning

Luke 10:10 instructs Jesus' disciples on how to respond to rejection in a city. It describes a public, symbolic act of shaking off the dust from their feet, signifying disassociation and a testimony against those who refused their message and hospitality. Crucially, even after this act, they are to declare that the Kingdom of God has nonetheless come near, emphasizing the irreversible nature of God's redemptive work and the unexcused culpability of the rejecters.

Luke 10 10 Context

Luke chapter 10 begins with Jesus appointing and sending out seventy-two (some manuscripts say seventy) disciples with specific instructions for their mission. This mission precedes Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem, demonstrating the extensive reach of the Kingdom message. The instructions include: not carrying purse, bag, or sandals; remaining in one house; healing the sick; and proclaiming "The kingdom of God has come near." Luke 10:10 specifically addresses the situation of outright rejection by a city. It immediately follows the instruction to proclaim the Kingdom to those who receive them (v.9) and precedes the "woes" Jesus pronounces upon unrepentant cities like Chorazin and Bethsaida (vv.13-16), underscoring the severe consequences of rejection. Historically and culturally, hospitality was a sacred duty in the ancient Near East. To reject a messenger sent by a revered authority, especially one bringing good news, was a grave insult. The act of shaking off dust carried significant Jewish meaning, often done by Jews leaving Gentile territory to ritually cleanse themselves. Its application within Israel, by Jewish disciples against fellow Jews, transformed it into a stark polemical gesture signifying judgment and a complete breaking of ties, treating fellow Jews as Gentiles or outsiders deserving divine condemnation.

Luke 10 10 Word analysis

• But whatever city (Grk: kai hets an polin): Denotes any specific city that fits the condition. It implies a universal application of this instruction across all potential mission fields.
• you enter (Grk: eiserchesthe): Signifies deliberate engagement with a place and its people. Not a casual passing, but an intentional presence with the mission.
• and they do not receive you (Grk: me dechontai hymas): Refers to a lack of welcome, not just refusal of lodging, but rejection of the disciples' message, their mission, and by extension, Him who sent them. "Receive" includes accepting their persons, message, and implied authority.
• go out (Grk: exelthontes): An act of departure, definitive and deliberate.
• into its streets (Grk: eis tas plateias autes): This implies a public, open space. The act of shaking dust and the declaration were not done privately, but publicly, for all to see and hear, serving as a powerful, public testimony.
• and say (Grk: kai eipate): Indicates a verbal declaration accompanies the physical action. The act is symbolic, but the words clarify its meaning and intention.
• Even the dust (Grk: kai ton koniorton): Koniortos specifically means fine, airborne dust. "Even" emphasizes that every trace, no matter how insignificant, is to be removed. It highlights a complete and total disassociation.
• of your city (Grk: apo tes poleos hymon): Identifies the source of the defiling rejection; it's their dust, indicating their uncleanliness.
• which clings to us (Grk: proskekolletamenon hemin): Proskollaō means to be glued, firmly attached, or adhered. This isn't superficial dust but something perceived as clinging, necessitating a forceful, symbolic detachment. It speaks of the deep impression and responsibility the city bears.
• we wipe off against you (Grk: apomassometha hymin): Apomassomai means "to wipe away," often implying forceful removal. "Against you" (hymin - dative of disadvantage) makes the action accusatory and a direct indictment. It is a gesture of severing fellowship and responsibility, declaring the messengers are clean of any culpability for the city's spiritual state. It functions as a judicial protest and a solemn warning.
• Nevertheless (Grk: Plen): A strong adversative conjunction, "yet," "but still," "however." It highlights that despite the rejection and the act of judgment, the truth about the Kingdom remains steadfast and must still be declared.
• know this (Grk: touto ginōskete): An imperative verb, commanding definite, undeniable knowledge. It demands attention and understanding. It's a statement of inescapable spiritual reality for the city.
• that the kingdom of God has come near (Grk: hoti engiken he basileia tou Theou): Engiken (perfect tense of engizō) signifies that it has drawn near and its effects are already being felt. The arrival of the Kingdom, through Jesus' presence and message, is a present reality, irrespective of their reception. This truth magnifies their guilt in rejection.

Luke 10 10 Bonus section

The "shaking off the dust" practice, while outwardly physical, functions as a judicial witness against the unrepentant city. It signifies a severing of peace (shalom) between the disciples and the city. The consequence of rejecting Jesus' envoys, who embody His authority and message, is to reject Jesus Himself (Luke 10:16). This principle underscores the immense stakes of the mission. The declared "nearness" of the Kingdom of God indicates both an opportunity for repentance and an impending judgment. It is a moment of divine visitation that, if spurned, carries eternal repercussions. The disciples are not to engage in personal vengeance but to leave the ultimate judgment to God, providing the divine standard upon which that judgment will be based.

Luke 10 10 Commentary

Luke 10:10 provides vital instructions for the disciples' mission, delineating the proper response to hostile reception. The act of shaking off dust, rooted in Jewish tradition of purity, when directed at fellow Jews within Israel, carried profound symbolic weight. It was a clear, prophetic denunciation, an unequivocal sign that the messengers dissociated themselves from the city's spiritual uncleanness and declared that the city's fate was now upon its own head. This action was not a release of personal anger but a solemn, Spirit-directed act of testimony. It cleared the disciples of responsibility for the inhabitants' ultimate judgment, much like a watchman's warning in Ezekiel (Ezek 3:18-19). Importantly, the verse simultaneously insists on the continued proclamation of truth: "Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near." This ensures that the city is left without excuse. Their rejection of the messengers constitutes a rejection of the Kingdom itself, inviting severe divine judgment (as further emphasized in the subsequent woes in Luke 10:13-16). This verse serves as a crucial teaching on the balance between proclaiming divine judgment and upholding God's sovereign truth concerning the imminence of His reign.
Example: A missionary diligently proclaims the Gospel to a resistant community, faces ongoing rejection. Rather than dwelling in self-blame or bitterness, he prays, symbolically "wipes his feet," declares that the opportunity for the Kingdom has passed for them, and moves to a receptive area, his conscience clear. This does not mean he stops praying for them but understands his immediate responsibility for proclamation there has concluded.