Luke 12 48

Luke 12:48 kjv

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Luke 12:48 nkjv

But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Luke 12:48 niv

But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48 esv

But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Luke 12:48 nlt

But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Luke 12 verses

Luke 12 48 Meaning

Luke 12:48 expounds on the principle of divine justice, emphasizing that accountability before God is directly proportional to the knowledge and responsibility entrusted to an individual. It concludes the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servants, stating that those who were ignorant of their master's specific will but still committed wrongdoings worthy of punishment will receive a lighter penalty ("few stripes") compared to those who knew their master's will but disobeyed it ("many stripes" from the preceding verse). The verse then articulates a universal principle: "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more," illustrating that greater privilege, knowledge, resources, or position necessitates greater faithfulness and a stricter reckoning.

Luke 12 48 Context

Luke 12 is rich in teachings about spiritual readiness and discerning God's will. The chapter begins with warnings against hypocrisy and fear of man (vv. 1-12), shifts to the dangers of covetousness through the parable of the rich fool (vv. 13-21), and then calls for prioritizing the kingdom of God and not worrying about earthly possessions (vv. 22-34).

Verses 35-48 transition to the theme of watchful preparedness for the Master's return, specifically addressed to the disciples. Jesus instructs them to be ready as servants awaiting their master (vv. 35-40). Peter then asks if this parable is for them or everyone (v. 41), prompting Jesus to elaborate with the parable of the faithful and unfaithful stewards (vv. 42-46). This parable directly leads to verses 47-48, which specify the differing degrees of accountability and punishment based on a servant's knowledge and actions.

Culturally, masters often held absolute power over their servants or slaves. Punishment by "stripes" (flogging) was a common legal and household discipline, limited in Jewish law (Deut 25:3) to ensure justice, though the practice of 39 lashes was common to avoid accidental exceeding. This verse grounds divine judgment in human experience of legal and ethical principles where a higher trust implies higher accountability, a concept understood within Jewish and Roman legal systems. It sets a universal spiritual principle for all of humanity.

Luke 12 48 Word analysis

• But: Greek: de (δὲ). Connects this statement as a contrast to the preceding verse (Luke 12:47), where the servant knew the master's will and was beaten with "many stripes." It highlights the distinction in accountability.
• he that knew not: Greek: ho me gnous (ὁ μὴ γνούς). Literally "the one not having known." Refers to ignorance, specifically of the master's precise will, not necessarily of all moral principles. This suggests a servant who was less informed about specific instructions or expectations, perhaps due to lack of explicit teaching or a general lack of spiritual understanding concerning Christ's detailed commands. While not knowing the explicit will, they still "did commit things worthy of stripes," meaning their actions were still inherently wrong and punishable. This is not ignorance as a complete lack of revelation, but a lesser degree of spiritual discernment or explicit instruction.
• and did commit things worthy of stripes: Greek: kai poiēsas axia plēgōn (καὶ ποιήσας ἄξια πληγῶν). "Having done things worthy of blows/scourges." Despite not knowing the master's specific will, this servant still engaged in actions that are intrinsically wrong, deserving of punishment according to general moral law or known societal standards of behavior. This clarifies that even partial ignorance does not fully excuse wrongdoing that is inherently deserving of correction.
• shall be beaten with few stripes: Greek: dagēsetai oligas (δαγήσεται ὀλίγας). Literally "shall be flogged [with] few [stripes]." Indicates a lighter form of punishment. This reflects God's justice, acknowledging mitigating circumstances (lesser knowledge or revelation), while still affirming that all sin has consequences. It’s a divine acknowledgment of differing levels of culpability.
• For unto whomsoever much is given: Greek: Panti de ho edothē poly (Παντὶ δὲ ᾧ ἐδόθη πολύ). This shifts from the specific servant parable to a universal principle. "Given" (edothē) is in the passive voice, implying the giving is from God. "Much" (poly) signifies not just material wealth, but opportunities, understanding, spiritual insights, leadership roles, natural abilities, and indeed, divine revelation or gospel truth.
• of him shall be much required: Greek: poly zētēthēsetai ap' autou (πολὺ ζητηθήσεται ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ). "Much will be sought/demanded from him." The passive voice (zētēthēsetai) implies God's requirement. This refers to accountability. For what has been bestowed, a corresponding return or faithfulness in its use is expected.
• and to whom men have committed much: Greek: kai ho parethento poly (καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολύ). "And to whom they entrusted much." The active voice "men" here can represent either human agents or a generalized concept of entrustment through circumstances, divine providence, or societal roles. It can also be seen as reflecting humanity's interaction with individuals through positions of trust or responsibility.
• of him they will ask the more: Greek: perissoteron aitēsousin (περισσότερον αἰτήσουσιν). "They will ask exceedingly/more abundantly." This further emphasizes the increase in accountability proportionate to the increase in responsibility. The repetition underscores the importance of this principle.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.": This phrase establishes the concept of mitigated responsibility. Ignorance of a specific directive, though not fully excusing wrongful acts, leads to a lesser consequence compared to outright disobedience stemming from full knowledge. It underlines divine equity in judgment, acknowledging intent and awareness.
• "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.": This acts as the overarching theological principle drawn from the preceding scenario. It universalizes the idea of accountability. "Given" signifies divine bestowal of gifts, knowledge, or opportunities, while "committed" (from "men have committed") signifies entrusted responsibilities within community or a broader stewardship. Both phrases stress that a greater entrustment results in a greater expectation and stricter judgment regarding performance or faithfulness.

Luke 12 48 Bonus section

The "stripes" (Gk. plēgōn) refer to physical blows from flogging, a common punitive measure in ancient cultures. The concept of "many" versus "few" stripes was directly understood by the audience to indicate differing levels of severity in punishment. Jewish law stipulated a maximum of 40 lashes (Dt 25:3), usually administered as 39 to avoid exceeding the limit, showing a built-in legal recognition of proportionate punishment.

This principle is not about justifying ignorance as an excuse for sin, as even the "knew not" servant still "did commit things worthy of stripes." Rather, it speaks to the reality that some knowledge, even general knowledge of right and wrong, creates a base level of accountability (Rom 1:20; 2:14-15), while specific divine revelation elevates that accountability dramatically. It highlights that everyone is accountable to God for something, based on the light they have received. The greater the light, the heavier the responsibility to walk in it.

Luke 12 48 Commentary

Luke 12:48 succinctly conveys a fundamental principle of divine justice: accountability before God is proportional to privilege and knowledge. While no wrongdoing goes unpunished, the degree of punishment varies. A person who acts contrary to God’s will but has less access to divine revelation or explicit commands will face less severe consequences than one who clearly understood God’s will and defiantly disobeyed. This applies not only to explicit instructions but also to the general principle of stewardship over whatever resources—spiritual insight, material wealth, time, talents, leadership roles, or gospel opportunities—have been entrusted to us.

This verse serves as a sober warning, especially to those who have received abundant spiritual truth. Christians, pastors, teachers, and anyone with deeper knowledge of God's Word are under a higher standard of accountability because "much has been given" to them. Their actions, omissions, and faithfulness in stewarding the grace and truth they have received will be evaluated accordingly.

For example:

• A new believer might stumble in areas a seasoned church elder understands clearly, leading to differing levels of corrective discipline from God.
• A person living in a remote village never exposed to the Gospel may be judged differently than someone in a society saturated with Christian teaching.
• A leader entrusted with the care of souls has a far greater responsibility than a congregant, and their failings would be seen as more egregious.

Ultimately, this verse is a call to humility, diligent stewardship, and earnest seeking of God's will, knowing that our understanding and opportunities determine the measure of what God will require from us.