Luke 11:39 kjv
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Luke 11:39 nkjv
Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
Luke 11:39 niv
Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
Luke 11:39 esv
And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
Luke 11:39 nlt
Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy ? full of greed and wickedness!
Luke 11 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 23:25 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup... but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence." | Direct parallel, core theme of hypocrisy. |
| Matt 23:26 | "You blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside of them may become clean also." | Solution to internal impurity. |
| Isa 29:13 | "These people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me..." | Lip service vs. heart devotion. |
| Mk 7:6 | He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me..." | Echoes Isa 29:13, exposing hypocrisy. |
| Titus 1:15 | "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled." | Internal state dictates perception of purity. |
| Rom 2:28-29 | For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly... but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart... | Internal spiritual identity vs. external. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." | Divine perspective on human worth. |
| Ps 51:10 | "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." | Prayer for internal spiritual purity. |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" | Describes inherent human sinfulness. |
| Matt 15:18-20 | "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart... For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders..." | Origin of defilement is the heart. |
| Mk 7:18-19 | And He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also?... Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him..." | What truly defiles is from within. |
| Lk 12:1 | "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." | Direct warning against their characteristic sin. |
| Acts 8:21 | "Your heart is not right in the sight of God." | Need for a right heart before God. |
| 1 Tim 1:5 | "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith..." | Foundation of true godly conduct. |
| Matt 7:15-20 | "You will know them by their fruits... Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit..." | Actions reveal true internal nature. |
| Eph 5:3 | "But sexual immorality and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not even be once named among you..." | Condemns covetousness as defilement. |
| Lk 16:14 | Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they derided Him. | Pharisees' covetousness directly stated. |
| Col 3:5 | "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." | Covetousness identified as idolatry. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident... envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and the like..." | List of works from the sinful nature. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit... | Exposes the true thoughts and intentions of the heart. |
| Lk 6:45 | "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good... for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." | Connection between heart's content and actions. |
| Jas 4:1-2 | "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have..." | Inner desires as source of conflict. |
| 2 Cor 7:1 | Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. | Call to cleanse both body and spirit. |
Luke 11 verses
Luke 11 39 Meaning
This verse presents Jesus' sharp rebuke to a Pharisee, highlighting their profound hypocrisy. While they meticulously clean the outside of cups and dishes, symbolic of their external adherence to ritual purity and outward religious observances, their inner character is defiled by covetousness (often linked to ill-gotten gain or plunder) and inherent wickedness. Jesus reveals that their actions, though seemingly righteous, are rooted in an impure heart, underscoring the spiritual truth that true cleanliness originates from within, not from superficial practices.
Luke 11 39 Context
Luke 11 records a pivotal moment where Jesus intensely confronts the spiritual blindness and hypocrisy of the religious leaders. This specific verse follows Jesus' teaching on prayer, the parable of a strong man, and His interaction with those who accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebul. The immediate context of Luke 11:39 begins when a Pharisee invited Jesus to eat. Upon observing that Jesus did not perform the ritual hand washing before the meal—a Pharisaic tradition, not a Mosaic commandment—the Pharisee marveled. Jesus uses this specific cultural observation as a springboard to deliver a powerful denunciation, exposing their distorted priorities and the emptiness of their outward show of righteousness. This verse initiates a series of "woes" directed at the Pharisees and the experts in the law (scribes), emphasizing the chasm between their outward piety and their inner corruption, characterized by a lack of love for God and others.
Luke 11 39 Word analysis
- And the Lord said: Signifies Jesus' divine authority and prophetic declaration, transcending mere human opinion. His words carry the weight of divine judgment and revelation.
- to him: Refers to the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner and inwardly marveled that Jesus had not washed before eating, setting the stage for Jesus' direct and personal indictment.
- Now you Pharisees: "Pharisees" (Pharisaios): A prominent Jewish sect in the first century, known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and their meticulous observance of traditional oral laws. They emphasized ritual purity and visible acts of piety. Jesus' direct address singles them out for their hypocrisy, speaking to their identity and core practices.
- make the outside: "Outside" (exōthen): Denotes superficiality, outward appearance, the visible dimension of life or objects. In this context, it refers to external behaviors, ceremonies, and ritualistic performances.
- of the cup and dish clean: The "cup and dish" were common household items, used for eating and drinking, representing daily life. To "clean" (katharizō): Implies ceremonial purification in addition to physical cleansing. The Pharisees had elaborate traditions for washing vessels to achieve ritual purity before meals. Jesus acknowledges their meticulousness in external matters.
- but your inward part: "Inward part" (esōthen): The internal dimension; the heart, soul, and moral character. This is contrasted sharply with "the outside," pointing to the disparity between appearance and reality. Jesus focuses on the state of their heart and spirit.
- is full of greed: "Greed" (harpagē): This Greek term is strong, often meaning "robbery," "plunder," or "extortion." It suggests ill-gotten gains through dishonest or violent means. This goes beyond mere covetousness (pleonexia) to describe an active and aggressive avarice that inflicts harm. This indictment suggests that their pursuit of ritual purity coexisted with deep-seated material acquisitiveness and exploitation, often under the guise of piety (e.g., abusing religious authority for personal gain).
- and wickedness: "Wickedness" (ponēria): Encompasses active evil, malice, moral depravity, and malevolence. It is the practical manifestation of moral corruption that harms others and dishonors God. It describes a disposition to do evil, confirming the inner rottenness of which harpagē is a symptom.
- "make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness": This phrase forms a potent antithesis. The meticulous ritual cleaning of objects symbolizes their dedication to outward religious conformity, perhaps to impress others. The profound corruption within—their "greed and wickedness"—directly negates any spiritual value of their external piety. Jesus exposes the profound spiritual disconnect and hypocrisy, revealing that what they claim to value on the outside (purity) is absent from their true selves (inside). This illustrates that true purity is holistic and originates from a morally sound and divinely transformed heart.
Luke 11 39 Bonus section
This verse echoes a consistent theme throughout biblical prophecy, where God’s prophets often challenged the Israelites’ external religious acts when their hearts were far from Him (e.g., Isa 1:11-17; Amos 5:21-24; Mic 6:6-8). The "woes" pronounced by Jesus, starting with this verse, align with a prophetic tradition of divine condemnation against those who oppress the vulnerable and betray justice in the name of religion. The imagery of the cup and dish, common household items, makes the message profoundly relatable and vivid for the original audience, emphasizing that daily, mundane actions also fall under divine scrutiny and should reflect internal integrity. This teaching establishes a radical redefinition of purity that goes beyond ceremonial laws, making internal moral disposition the ultimate measure of true cleanliness and righteousness. It's a reminder that genuine spiritual transformation starts within, transforming motives and desires before any outward actions can be truly pleasing to God.
Luke 11 39 Commentary
In Luke 11:39, Jesus powerfully dismantles the Pharisees' spiritual facade, cutting directly to the core of their religious system's failure. His pronouncement is not merely a criticism but an indictment, highlighting the dangerous chasm between superficial religious observance and true righteousness. They meticulously purified external vessels according to their traditions, but this fastidious attention to outward detail was tragically mirrored by a profound neglect of their inner being. The accusation of being "full of greed and wickedness" is scathing, suggesting their supposed purity was a cover for oppressive practices and moral depravity driven by avarice. Jesus reveals that their acts of piety were rooted in a corrupted heart, thus rendering them futile and even damnable in God's sight. The verse is a foundational lesson that true holiness flows from the heart, transforms one's character, and manifests as genuine love and justice, rather than from external ritual conformity or self-serving acts.