Luke 12:57 kjv
Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
Luke 12:57 nkjv
"Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?
Luke 12:57 niv
"Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
Luke 12:57 esv
"And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
Luke 12:57 nlt
"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right?
Luke 12 57 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 12:54-56 | He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'A shower is coming,'... Why do you not interpret this time?" | Immediate context; discerning spiritual signs |
| Mt 16:3 | And in the morning, 'Today will be stormy, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. | Failure to discern the significance of Jesus' presence |
| Jn 7:24 | Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. | Calls for righteous, not superficial, judgment |
| Heb 5:14 | But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. | Emphasizes trained discernment to distinguish good/evil |
| Phil 1:9-10 | And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more... so that you may be able to discern what is best... | Praying for abounding love leading to discernment |
| 1 Thes 5:21 | but test everything; hold fast what is good. | Command to test and discern all things |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God... | Renewal of mind for discerning God's will |
| Prov 28:5 | Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand everything. | Righteous understanding through seeking the Lord |
| 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? | Divine requirements: justice, kindness, humility |
| Isa 1:18 | "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord..." | Call to reasoning and deliberation with God |
| Ps 119:66 | Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. | Prayer for discernment and understanding |
| Mt 7:24-27 | "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock..." | Wisdom in acting on truth discerned |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | Urgency of applying truth discerned |
| Jas 4:17 | So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. | Accountability for knowing and not acting |
| Jn 3:19-21 | "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil." | People's judgment is evident in their response to light |
| Rom 2:15 | They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or excuse them. | Inherent moral judgment of conscience |
| Lk 19:42 | "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." | Missed opportunity due to lack of discernment |
| Jer 8:7 | Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times... but my people do not know the just requirements of the Lord. | God's people's lack of discernment compared to animals |
| 1 Cor 2:14-15 | The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God... The spiritual person judges all things... | Contrast between natural and spiritual discernment |
| Eph 5:15-16 | Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. | Calls for wisdom and discernment in using time |
Luke 12 verses
Luke 12 57 Meaning
Luke 12:57 is a direct challenge from Jesus, questioning why people are not capable of discerning and judging for themselves what is truly righteous and morally correct. It stands as an urgent call for personal spiritual discernment, especially in light of the signs of the times and the impending spiritual judgment. It underscores the importance of an individual's responsibility to understand and respond to God's truth, rather than relying solely on external cues or authorities.
Luke 12 57 Context
Luke 12:57 immediately follows Jesus' rebuke of the crowds for their spiritual blindness. He compares their ability to interpret weather patterns (signs of clouds indicating rain, wind from the south indicating heat) with their utter failure to interpret the far more significant "time" of His advent and the dawning of God's Kingdom (Lk 12:54-56). This period was marked by His teachings, miracles, and the revelation of divine truth, all serving as clear "signs" that the Messiah was among them. The Jewish people, and especially their religious leaders, were adept at worldly calculations but profoundly dull to spiritual realities.
Historically and culturally, predicting weather was essential for agriculture and daily life. People observed natural phenomena meticulously. Jesus used this familiar expertise as a poignant contrast to their spiritual negligence. He was implicitly challenging the reliance on outward forms of religious observance or mere intellectual knowledge without a true inner spiritual grasp of the divine reality breaking into their midst. The question in verse 57 ("Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?") is therefore a call to introspect, to personally evaluate and discern the truth that was overtly manifest in Jesus' ministry, rather than waiting for external validation or ignoring what was plainly before them. It prepares them for the following parable about settling with an adversary before reaching the judge, emphasizing urgency in making things right with God.
Luke 12 57 Word analysis
- Why: Greek Ti (τί). This is a strong interrogative particle used to express a sharp, almost reproachful questioning. It conveys Jesus' astonishment and disappointment at their spiritual dullness, not a mere request for information but an urgent plea for them to reflect on their own illogical behavior.
- do you not judge: Greek Krinete (κρίνετε), from the root verb krino (κρίνω). This verb has a broad range of meanings, including "to distinguish," "to decide," "to discern," "to make a judgment," "to pass sentence," and even "to choose." Here, it signifies the ability to properly evaluate, distinguish between truth and error, and make a right decision based on observation and inner conviction. It's not about being judgmental of others in a negative sense, but about righteous and intelligent self-assessment and discernment.
- for yourselves: Greek Aph' heautōn (ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν). This phrase emphasizes personal initiative and autonomy. It highlights the individual responsibility to assess situations, rather than blindly following tradition, public opinion, or religious leaders. It suggests a personal, inner conviction born of reflection and understanding, not simply outward conformity.
- what is right: Greek To dikaion (τὸ δίκαιον). This neuter adjective, acting as a substantive, means "the right thing," "that which is just," "righteousness," or "what is fitting." It refers to the ethically and morally correct course of action, in alignment with God's standards and will. It points to a divine truth and ethical demand that should be intuitively discernible, especially in the presence of Jesus Christ.
Words-Group Analysis
- "Why do you not judge for yourselves": This powerful rhetorical question cuts to the core of spiritual apathy. Jesus highlights their glaring inconsistency: they possess an innate human capacity for observation and logical deduction (evident in their ability to forecast weather), yet they fail to apply this same capacity to far more crucial spiritual matters concerning their own salvation and God's intervention in history. This challenges not just a lack of knowledge, but a deliberate neglect or unwillingness to engage their moral and spiritual faculties. It implies accountability for personal discernment, not just rote observance or reliance on others.
- "what is right": This phrase encapsulates the standard against which they are to judge. It is not about personal preference or societal norms, but about a universal, objective truth that aligns with divine righteousness. Jesus is saying, "You are witnessing the revelation of truth, the unfolding of God's righteous plan – why are you unable to recognize it and act accordingly?" This implies that to dikaion (what is right) was clearly observable through Jesus' ministry, words, and signs. The fault lies not in the clarity of truth, but in their internal resistance or blindness.
Luke 12 57 Bonus Section
This verse implicitly addresses the idea that God has given humanity sufficient light and an innate capacity to recognize truth, making spiritual apathy or ignorance inexcusable. It is a polemic against the notion that people are merely victims of circumstance or tradition, highlighting their moral agency. Jesus challenges a passive approach to faith and calls for active spiritual intelligence. The "judge for yourselves" aspect resonates deeply with a call to internal conviction and genuine relationship with God, rather than a mere outward display or blind adherence to rules. This call for internal discernment paved the way for future Christian emphasis on the indwelling Holy Spirit's role in guiding believers into all truth (Jn 16:13), but even prior to Pentecost, Jesus expected people to see the undeniable evidence of God's hand at work.
Luke 12 57 Commentary
Luke 12:57 serves as a poignant spiritual mirror, inviting every hearer to self-examine their capacity for discernment. Jesus criticizes not merely their ignorance, but their active unwillingness to "judge for themselves" what is intrinsically "right." This "right" is not some esoteric truth but the obvious, transformative reality of God's Kingdom manifesting through Him. People possessed an innate ability for common sense applied to earthly matters, like predicting weather. Yet, this same faculty was tragically unapplied to spiritual realities—the supreme importance of His coming and the call to repentance.
The verse emphasizes personal responsibility. There's an internal "moral compass" or the ability to reason that God has given humanity, enabling them to recognize fundamental justice and truth. In this specific context, "what is right" clearly referred to recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, understanding the urgency of the hour, and aligning one's life with the dawning Kingdom. The implicit warning is that continued spiritual blindness and failure to self-judge would lead to dire consequences, mirroring the judicial processes mentioned in the subsequent verses (12:58-59). The call is timeless: engage your spiritual intellect, respond to the evident truth of God's word and work, and make an active decision for righteousness, for one's very destiny depends on it.