Luke 10:37 kjv
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Luke 10:37 nkjv
And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Luke 10:37 niv
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Luke 10:37 esv
He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."
Luke 10:37 nlt
The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
Luke 10 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (mercy), and to walk humbly with your God? | Emphasizes active mercy (kindness). |
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love (mercy) and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | God prioritizes mercy over ritual. |
| Matt 9:13 | Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ | Jesus reiterates God's desire for mercy. |
| Matt 12:7 | And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. | Mercy's importance in judgment. |
| Matt 22:39 | And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. | The foundational command to love neighbor. |
| Mk 12:31 | The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ | Reinforces neighborly love. |
| Rom 13:9-10 | …the commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” is summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. | Love fulfills the law. |
| Gal 5:14 | For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” | Love as the essence 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. | "Royal law" of loving neighbor. |
| Jas 2:13 | For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. | Mercy's critical role in divine judgment. |
| 1 Jn 3:18 | Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. | Emphasizes love expressed through action. |
| Col 3:12 | Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience… | Call to cultivate compassionate qualities. |
| Prov 19:17 | Whoever lends to the poor reaps reward, for he gives to the Lord. | Helping the poor as serving God. |
| Matt 7:21 | Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. | Obedience through doing God's will. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | Command to be active doers of the word. |
| Tit 3:8 | …so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. | Good works as a characteristic of believers. |
| Phil 2:4 | Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. | Looking out for others' welfare. |
| Jn 13:14-15 | If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. | Emulating Christ's service. |
| Lev 19:18 | You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. | Source of "love your neighbor." |
| Matt 5:43-44 | You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. | Expands the definition of neighbor to include enemies. |
| Matt 28:19 | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… | "Go" as an imperative for action/mission. |
Luke 10 verses
Luke 10 37 Meaning
The lawyer, after hearing Jesus' parable, correctly identified the one who truly acted as a "neighbor" to the wounded man: the one who demonstrated practical compassion and intervening mercy. Jesus then directly affirmed this understanding and commanded the lawyer—and by extension, all who seek eternal life through obedience to God's law—to "go and do likewise," meaning to actively emulate the selfless, boundless, and prejudiced-defying love shown by the Samaritan. This pivotal response shifts the inquiry from defining "who is my neighbor" to demonstrating "how one becomes a neighbor" through active, compassionate service.
Luke 10 37 Context
Luke 10:37 concludes the Parable of the Good Samaritan, told by Jesus in response to an expert in the Law who asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk 10:25). After Jesus directs him to love God and neighbor, the lawyer, wishing to justify himself, probes further, "And who is my neighbor?" (Lk 10:29). The parable meticulously details three individuals passing a severely wounded man, culminating with the Samaritan, an outsider and traditional enemy of the Jews, showing extraordinary mercy. The lawyer's reply in Luke 10:37 acknowledges the Samaritan's action, while Jesus' final command directly applies the lesson. This account underscores Jesus' radical teaching on active, selfless love, challenging narrow legalistic interpretations of God's commands and traditional societal prejudices.
Luke 10 37 Word analysis
And he said: Simple declarative statement, indicating a direct response.
"He who showed mercy on him.":
- He who showed: (Greek: Ho poiēsas) Literally "The one who did/made." The verb poieō implies active doing or performing. The lawyer accurately identifies the rescuer not by their ethnic identity ("the Samaritan," which he notably avoids saying, highlighting the lingering prejudice) but by their decisive action.
- mercy: (Greek: to eleos) Compassion, pity, kindness. This is not mere sentiment but active compassion, moving one to intervene. It translates the Hebrew hesed, which implies loyal love and covenant faithfulness expressed in tangible ways.
- on him: Refers to the man who fell among robbers, underscoring the direction of the mercy.
Then Jesus said to him,: Transitions to Jesus' concluding command, emphasizing his authority and the direct application of the lesson.
"Go and do likewise.":
- Go: (Greek: Poreuou) An imperative, an urgent command. It signifies an active departure, a journey, emphasizing that this is not merely a thought but a practical engagement with the world.
- and do: (Greek: kai poiei) Another imperative, using the same verb poieō as the lawyer used to describe the Samaritan's action. This direct verbal link mandates the same kind of action the Samaritan performed.
- likewise: (Greek: homoiōs) "In like manner," "similarly." This adverb instructs the lawyer (and believers) to imitate the spirit, scope, and active nature of the Samaritan's mercy—a self-sacrificial, prejudice-overcoming, and practical demonstration of love towards anyone in need, regardless of their background.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "He who showed mercy on him.": This phrase highlights the lawyer's precise identification of the Samaritan not by his rejected ethnic identity but by the undeniable evidence of his compassionate deeds. It reflects an objective acknowledgment of righteous action even across deeply ingrained societal divides. The emphasis is on the tangible expression of mercy.
- "Go and do likewise.": This is the heart of Jesus' teaching, transforming a theoretical debate into an imperative for active, transformative discipleship. "Go" suggests that actively seeking out opportunities to serve others, rather than waiting for them to cross one's path, is an inherent aspect of fulfilling the law. "Do likewise" calls for the complete emulation of the Samaritan's radical, unbounded, and practical love that overrides all barriers of social class, religion, or ethnicity, embodying God's own character of boundless mercy.
Luke 10 37 Bonus section
- The lawyer's inability or refusal to utter the word "Samaritan" reveals the deep-seated ethnic and religious prejudice of the time. Jesus' parable, by casting the Samaritan as the hero, directly challenged these social and religious boundaries, forcing His audience to confront their biases.
- This verse represents a turning point where the definition of "neighbor" is radically expanded. It moves from a self-serving question of who one is obligated to love (i.e., "who falls within my predefined group?") to the transformative call of being a neighbor (i.e., "how can I act with love towards anyone in need?").
- The Parable of the Good Samaritan, encapsulated by this final command, highlights that true piety and love for God are demonstrated through tangible, proactive acts of compassion towards humanity, particularly the vulnerable and marginalized. It directly contrasts ritualistic adherence or religious status with genuine, self-giving love.
Luke 10 37 Commentary
Luke 10:37 powerfully concludes Jesus' response to the lawyer, moving beyond abstract theological definitions to a concrete demand for practical obedience rooted in love. The lawyer, constrained by prejudice, acknowledges the action of the Samaritan—"he who showed mercy"—rather than his despised identity. Jesus seizes upon this and issues a direct, personal command: "Go and do likewise." This isn't merely an exhortation to perform good deeds, but an imperative to become the type of person who actively and sacrificially extends compassion to anyone in need, just as the Samaritan did for a stranger and traditional foe. It challenges all followers to dismantle their own biases, to cross societal boundaries, and to define "neighbor" not by shared affinity but by urgent human need. The message is clear: eternal life is not inherited through mere intellectual understanding or adherence to rigid rules, but through embodying active, merciful love towards others, mirroring God's own mercy towards humanity. This passage compels us to move from passive contemplation to active service, thereby truly fulfilling the spirit of the law.