Luke 11 41

Luke 11:41 kjv

But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

Luke 11:41 nkjv

But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

Luke 11:41 niv

But now as for what is inside you?be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Luke 11:41 esv

But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

Luke 11:41 nlt

So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.

Luke 11 verses

Luke 11 41 Meaning

Luke 11:41 fundamentally asserts that genuine cleanness and purity before God are not achieved through external ritualistic practices, such as washing hands, but rather through an inward transformation that expresses itself in active generosity and mercy, specifically through giving alms to the poor. Jesus states that by giving what one possesses (referring to resources or wealth), the true condition of the heart is rectified, and as a result, "all things"—especially food, which was the context of the Pharisee's concern—become truly clean for them. It is a reorientation from a focus on ceremonial outward observance to a focus on inner spiritual condition expressed in righteousness and charity.

Luke 11 41 Context

Luke 11:41 is part of a series of severe rebukes Jesus delivers to the Pharisees and experts in the law. The immediate preceding verses (Luke 11:37-40) set the stage: Jesus is at dinner in a Pharisee's house, and the Pharisee notes that Jesus did not ritually wash His hands before the meal. This act of omission prompts Jesus' scathing condemnation of the Pharisees' external focus. Jesus directly contrasts their meticulous cleansing of the outside of cups and dishes with their inner lives, which are full of "greed and wickedness" (Lk 11:39). He then challenges their foolishness for prioritizing the visible while neglecting the invisible heart. Verse 41 serves as Jesus' divine counsel or remedy, proposing an alternative path to true purity: inward purification through outward acts of charity stemming from a renewed heart. The historical context involves the rigorous application of oral traditions (like Netilat Yadayim, hand-washing before meals) by the Pharisees, often elevating them above God's written law concerning justice and mercy. Jesus' words are a direct polemic against this legalistic and hypocritical mindset.

Luke 11 41 Word Analysis

• "But rather" (πλὴν - plēn): This conjunction strongly indicates a sharp contrast or a corrective alternative. It introduces Jesus' definitive instruction, offering a genuine path to purity in opposition to the Pharisees' superficial practices.
• "give alms" (δότε ἐλεημοσύνην - dote eleēmosunēn):
  • δότε (dote): Imperative, "give ye." A direct command from Jesus.
  • ἐλεημοσύνην (eleēmosunēn): "mercy," "compassion," "alms." This word signifies an act of pity or mercy, specifically extended through charitable giving to the poor. It encapsulates active compassion for the needy, rather than merely ritual observance.
• "of such things as ye have" / "that which is within" (τὰ ἐνόντα - ta enonta): This phrase is critically important and has varying interpretations among scholars, all stemming from its root meaning "the things that are within" or "what is present/inherent."
  • Primary interpretation (in context of almsgiving): "Your possessions," "what you possess," "the things within your reach." This interprets "ta enonta" as the object of giving. Given the previous verse's critique of their internal greed and external display, Jesus commands them to give away their accumulated wealth, thereby directly addressing their internal avarice.
  • Secondary interpretation (in context of inner defilement): "What is within you (your heart, your inner self)." This ties back directly to the contrast between the clean "outside of the cup" and the corrupt "inside" (v. 39). The idea here is to cleanse or give out of one's inner moral substance through acts of generosity. In this sense, "give alms from what is truly inside your purified heart," effectively saying, "purify your inner being by manifesting true mercy."
  • Combined Understanding: Jesus points to the transformation of the inner man as the source and means of true charity. By redirecting the inner disposition of avarice into generous giving from one's possessions, one effectively cleanses what is within.
• "and, behold," (καὶ ἰδοὺ - kai idou): An emphatic interjection meaning "and see!" or "and look!" It introduces the significant and often surprising consequence or result of following the command.
• "all things are clean unto you" (πάντα καθαρὰ ὑμῖν ἐστιν - panta kathara hymin estin):
  • πάντα (panta): "All things," "everything." In context, this primarily refers to food and general aspects of life previously deemed ritually unclean due to external observances.
  • καθαρὰ (kathara): "Clean," "pure." It implies not just ceremonial purity but a state of spiritual and moral cleanness. Jesus redefines purity: a heart dedicated to charity and righteousness makes even otherwise "unclean" things permissible, dissolving the power of rigid, external, and legalistic distinctions. This principle becomes foundational for New Covenant understanding of dietary laws (e.g., Acts 10:15).

Luke 11 41 Bonus Section

This verse resonates deeply with the Old Testament prophetic tradition, where prophets like Isaiah, Amos, and Micah constantly warned Israel that God desired justice, mercy, and righteousness over rote ceremonial sacrifices or external religious performances. Jesus, in essence, reiterates and intensifies this ancient divine truth. The principle articulated in Luke 11:41 anticipates the broader New Testament understanding that external defilement is less significant than defilement of the heart, which stems from unrighteous motives and actions (Mk 7:15-23; Rom 14:14-20). It also highlights the transformative power of genuine charitable giving, not as a mere duty but as an act that reorients the heart from self-centeredness to God-centered and neighbor-centered living, thus bringing about true spiritual cleanliness and right relationship with God.

Luke 11 41 Commentary

Luke 11:41 encapsulates a pivotal teaching of Jesus that completely reorients the concept of purity from external ritualism to internal moral and spiritual condition. In His critique of the Pharisees, Jesus exposes their hypocrisy: they meticulously observed outward ceremonial laws while harboring greed and wickedness within. The instruction to "give alms of such things as ye have" directly confronts their internal corruption (greed) by advocating for an action that epitomizes selfless love and compassion. This act of true generosity, flowing from a sincere desire to benefit others, fundamentally cleanses the heart and its intentions. When the inside is thus purified, Jesus declares, then "all things" become clean to the individual. This refers particularly to the dietary and ritual purity laws that preoccupied the Pharisees; by aligning one's heart with God's desire for mercy and justice, the external regulations concerning food and washings lose their power to defile. This verse provides a powerful counter-narrative to a legalistic approach to faith, emphasizing that a living faith is demonstrated by practical love for others, thereby pleasing God and rendering all aspects of life genuinely clean. It teaches that the heart, when aligned with God through mercy, dictates true cleanliness, transcending the need for external ceremonial cleansing for the conscientious believer.