Luke 10 32

Luke 10:32 kjv

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 nkjv

Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 niv

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 esv

So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 nlt

A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

Luke 10 32 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Luke 10:30-31"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho... And by chance a priest... passed by on the other side."Priest's prior similar inaction
Luke 10:33-35"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was... had compassion."Contrast with the compassionate Samaritan
Deut 10:18-19"He executes justice for the orphan and widow, and loves the alien..."God's expectation for care for the vulnerable
Isa 1:15-17"When you spread out your hands... cease to do evil; learn to do good..."Calls for practical righteousness
Mic 6:8"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"True requirements for God's people
Hos 6:6"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."Mercy over ritual
Mt 9:13"Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’"Jesus echoes Hosea's emphasis on mercy
Mt 12:7"And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless."Condemnation of legalism over mercy
Mt 22:39"And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"Great Commandment of loving neighbor
Rom 13:8-10"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."Love as the fulfillment of the law
Jas 2:8"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well."Echoes the "royal law" of love
Jas 2:15-16"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food... and you say to them, 'Go in peace,'..."Faith without works is dead
1 Jn 3:17"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need... how does God's love abide in him?"Failure to act contradicts love of God
Prov 24:11-12"Rescue those who are being led away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter."Obligation to help the imperiled
Phil 2:3-4"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."Putting others' interests first
Gal 5:13-14"Through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"Service through love, fulfilling the law
Lev 19:16"You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand idly by when the blood of your neighbor is shed..."Prohibition against inaction in danger
Lev 21:1-3Rules regarding defilement for priests, but often permits for familyPotential (mis)use of purity laws as excuse
Num 3:6-8Levites given to Aaron for service in the tabernacleLevites' duty in the religious sphere
Ez 34:2-4"Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! ... You have not strengthened the weak..."Critique of negligent spiritual leaders
Mt 25:41-45"Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."Consequences of neglecting those in need
Jer 22:3"Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness..."Calls for ethical leadership

Luke 10 verses

Luke 10 32 Meaning

Luke 10:32 states, "And likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side." This verse details the second individual in Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan who encounters the injured man. Following the priest, the Levite, another figure of religious standing, also deliberately chooses to avoid helping the man, passing by on the opposite side of the road. It highlights a recurring theme of religious officials failing to show compassion, setting a critical backdrop for the surprising hero of the parable.

Luke 10 32 Context

Luke 10:32 is part of Jesus's renowned Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The parable is delivered in response to a lawyer who asks Jesus, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" and then, "And who is my neighbor?" The immediate verses before this one introduce the scene: a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho falls victim to robbers, is stripped, beaten, and left half-dead. A priest encounters him first and passes by. Luke 10:32 then details the second, similar encounter with a Levite.

Historically and culturally, both priests and Levites held significant positions within Jewish society and the religious framework. Priests were direct descendants of Aaron and served at the Temple, officiating sacrifices and blessings. Levites, members of the tribe of Levi, assisted the priests, served as temple musicians, gatekeepers, and administrators. Both were highly respected, viewed as upholders and exemplars of the Law, and spiritually charged individuals. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho, known as the "Way of Blood" due to its treacherous and bandit-prone nature, underscores the man's perilous situation and immediate need for assistance. This context amplifies the shocking inaction of the religious figures who were expected to exemplify God's compassion.

Luke 10 32 Word analysis

  • And likewise (Καὶ ὁμοίως - Kai homoiōs): The Greek phrase signals a direct parallel, emphasizing that the Levite's action mirrored that of the priest before him. It underscores a repetitive pattern of failure rather than an isolated incident. This choice of word highlights a general lack of empathy among expected leaders.
  • a Levite (Λευίτης - Leuítēs): This refers to a member of the tribe of Levi, distinct from the priestly line (though priests were also Levites). Levites assisted priests in temple duties, managed sacred objects, and often had roles in teaching the law. Their spiritual and public responsibilities were extensive. For a Levite to pass by indicated a failure in their consecrated role to care for their fellow man, aligning with prophetic critiques of Israel's spiritual leaders (e.g., Isa 56:10-12). They were to represent God's holiness and compassion to the people.
  • when he came to the place (ἐλθὼν κατὰ τόπον - elthōn kata topon): This signifies that the Levite physically arrived at the precise location where the injured man lay. He was not just near, but "at the place," indicating direct proximity. This dispels any notion that he simply didn't notice the man or was too far to help effectively.
  • and saw him (καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτόν - kai idōn auton): The verb idōn implies seeing with understanding, not just a casual glance. He perceived the man's dire state. Just like the priest, the Levite had full awareness of the suffering. This direct observation makes his subsequent inaction a deliberate and conscious choice, demonstrating a clear lack of moral imagination or compassion.
  • passed by on the other side (ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - antiparēlthen): This is a powerful compound verb. The prefix anti- indicates "against," "opposite," or "instead of." So, he didn't just walk past, but specifically moved to the opposite side of the road or actively averted himself from the man. This act denotes intentional avoidance and a deliberate distancing from suffering. It suggests a priority of personal concerns (perhaps ritual purity concerns, or merely inconvenience) over the needs of a dying man. This action clearly contrasts with the later behavior of the Samaritan, who draws near.

Luke 10 32 Bonus section

  • Audience Shock: For Jesus's original Jewish audience, the failure of the Levite, following the priest, would have been profoundly shocking. These were not marginal figures but pillars of their society and faith. This literary device highlights the subversion of conventional expectations about who would embody God's love.
  • Jerusalem-Jericho Road: This downhill road from Jerusalem ("City of Peace") to Jericho ("City of Palms") symbolizes a spiritual descent, leading one away from holiness. The dangers of the road amplify the man's vulnerability and the urgency of aid, making the Levite's (and priest's) lack of intervention even more starkly cold.
  • Irony of Purity vs. Mercy: Many commentators point to the irony that concerns over ritual purity, which were meant to lead to God, led these religious figures to ignore the command to love one's neighbor, a core tenet of God's law. This is a subtle but powerful polemic against a legalistic interpretation of faith that devalues genuine compassion.
  • Implication for Today: The Levite's action remains a challenge to anyone in a position of spiritual leadership or religious commitment. It calls for introspection, asking if one's religious observance leads to active, inconvenient love for others, or if it inadvertently becomes a shield for indifference and self-preservation.

Luke 10 32 Commentary

Luke 10:32 presents the Levite as the second in a sequence of religious figures who fail to exhibit the very compassion expected of them. Their inaction is not due to ignorance or accident, but a conscious decision after observing the man's grave condition. Both the priest and the Levite were respected, revered members of the religious elite, yet their practical theology of care fell short. Their potential rationale for avoidance might have included fears of ritual defilement (e.g., if the man was dead, touching him would make them unclean, hindering Temple duties—though compassion often superseded such concerns in biblical thought, and one could ritually purify themselves), but this excuse appears trivial next to the sanctity of human life. The repeated "passed by on the other side" illustrates a profound moral indifference, contrasting superficial religiosity with true righteousness which requires active mercy and engagement with suffering. This sets up a profound critique, preparing the listener for the Samaritan's truly radical love.