Luke 13:28 kjv
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Luke 13:28 nkjv
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
Luke 13:28 niv
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.
Luke 13:28 esv
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.
Luke 13:28 nlt
"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.
Luke 13 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 8:12 | But the children of the kingdom will be thrown outside into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Those presumed 'in' cast out; the fate of the excluded. |
| Matt 13:42 | and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Parable of Weeds; final judgment for wicked. |
| Matt 13:50 | and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. | Parable of Net; judgment for wicked. |
| Matt 22:13 | Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ | Parable of Wedding Feast; judgment for unpreparedness. |
| Matt 24:51 | and cut him in two and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Judgment for unfaithful servant. |
| Matt 25:30 | And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Parable of Talents; judgment for unprofitable servant. |
| Luke 13:29 | And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. | Follows 13:28, showing others (Gentiles) welcomed. |
| Luke 13:24 | “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. | Precedes 13:28; emphasizes the difficulty of entry. |
| Luke 13:27 | And he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ | Precedes 13:28; rejection of those who thought they knew God. |
| Matt 8:11 | I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. | Gentiles included with patriarchs, leading to contrast. |
| Matt 7:13-14 | Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many, For the gate is narrow… that leads to life. | The contrasting paths to eternal destiny. |
| Matt 7:21-23 | “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven... I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” | True entry is by doing God's will, not just profession. |
| Matt 25:41 | “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ | Clear declaration of ultimate, eternal exclusion. |
| Luke 16:23-26 | And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side... he cried out, ‘Father Abraham... send Lazarus...’ | Rich man seeing blessed from afar, in torment. |
| Rom 9:6-8 | But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel... It is not the children of the flesh who are children of God... | Physical descent from Israel does not guarantee salvation. |
| Gal 3:7 | Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. | Abraham's true children are those of faith, not birth. |
| John 8:39 | They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did." | True children of Abraham demonstrate his faith in action. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless... their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. | Ultimate and final separation from God. |
| Mal 1:11 | For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering... | Prophecy of Gentile inclusion in worship, contrasting with Israel. |
| Rom 11:7-8 | What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened... | Many in Israel were hardened to God's truth. |
| Rom 11:17-21 | If some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them... Do not be arrogant, but tremble... lest you too should be cut off. | The metaphor of the olive tree illustrating the potential for exclusion based on unbelief. |
| Psa 37:12 | The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; | Gnashing as a sign of wicked, powerless rage/frustration. |
| Isa 66:24 | And they shall go out and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched... | The perpetual, inescapable agony of final judgment. |
Luke 13 verses
Luke 13 28 Meaning
Luke 13:28 portrays a sobering scene of eschatological judgment. It describes intense, profound suffering ("weeping and gnashing of teeth") for those who are ultimately excluded from God's eternal Kingdom. This anguish is intensified by their witnessing the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and all the prophets—representatives of God's faithful—joyfully present within the Kingdom of God, a realm from which the observers, despite their presumptive claims, are irrevocably cast out. It speaks to the devastating regret and despair of a forfeited inheritance.
Luke 13 28 Context
Luke 13:28 is part of a longer discourse by Jesus (Luke 13:22-30) that addresses the question of who will be saved. Jesus is journeying to Jerusalem, teaching along the way. A person asks if "only a few are saved" (Luke 13:23), prompting Jesus's response. He first emphasizes the necessity of striving to enter the "narrow door" (Luke 13:24) and warns against self-delusion, implying that mere casual seeking or superficial acquaintance with Him will not suffice (Luke 13:25-27).
This verse, therefore, directly builds upon the idea that the "master of the house" (Jesus) will shut the door, denying entry to those who were not truly known to him. For the original Jewish audience, there was a widespread belief that physical descent from Abraham guaranteed a place in God's Kingdom. Jesus strongly challenges this ethnocentric presumption, predicting a reversal where many from outside Israel ("from east and west, north and south" – Luke 13:29, referring to Gentiles) will be welcomed into the Kingdom, while some "children of the kingdom" (Jewish people by birth) will be cast out. This reversal, "the last will be first, and the first last" (Luke 13:30), forms the climactic warning that sets the stage for the poignant image of weeping and gnashing of teeth in verse 28.
Luke 13 28 Word analysis
- There will be: Implies a future, definite event. This is not a hypothetical scenario but a certain, impending reality of final judgment.
- weeping (Greek: κλαυθμός - klauthmos): Signifies profound sorrow, anguish, and wailing. It denotes an unrestrained outpouring of grief and distress, beyond mere tears, reflecting the deep agony of realization and regret. It is linked to intense psychological suffering from having lost an ultimate and invaluable treasure—entry into God's Kingdom.
- and gnashing of teeth (Greek: βρυγμός τῶν ὀδόντων - brugmos tōn odontōn): A graphic idiom portraying intense despair, rage, and physical torment. It conveys the grinding of teeth as an expression of:
- Pain: Physical suffering resulting from a state of unbearable distress.
- Anguish and Despair: A feeling of helplessness and frustration at irreversible loss.
- Rage: Bitter resentment, possibly against oneself, against circumstances, or even against God, for the missed opportunity or final judgment. This is a common phrase in Jesus' teaching regarding the destiny of the unrighteous.
- when you see: The visual component is crucial. The suffering of the excluded is compounded by their ability to observe the blessedness of those inside. This highlights the torment of a lost inheritance and the agony of witnessing others' salvation while being irrevocably excluded.
- Abraham and Isaac and Jacob: These are the revered patriarchs of Israel, representing the foundational figures of God's covenant with His chosen people. Their presence in the Kingdom signifies the faithfulness of God to His promises and the reality of the true, spiritual Israel being gathered. For the Jewish audience, their inclusion underscores the shocking irony and betrayal of expectations, as these cast-out individuals had relied on their physical descent from these very patriarchs.
- and all the prophets: Refers to the long line of God's messengers and spokesmen throughout Israelite history, who faithfully delivered God's word and often suffered for it. Their inclusion reinforces that God's plan is continuous, from the patriarchs to the full revelation of His Kingdom, and includes all who authentically followed and spoke for Him. Their presence in the Kingdom affirms that the true legacy is one of obedient faith.
- in the kingdom of God: Represents the realm of God's sovereign rule, His spiritual dominion, which here culminates in the eternal state of salvation, blessing, peace, and fellowship with Him and His people. It is the destination of ultimate hope and joy for the righteous.
- but you yourselves cast out: A stark, emphatic contrast to the blessed state within the Kingdom.
- yourselves: Emphasizes the personal nature of this exclusion and the tragic irony for those who felt entitled to entry. It's a pointed direct address.
- cast out (Greek: ἐκβληθέντας - ekblēthentas): This is a perfect passive participle, indicating a decisive and completed action of being expelled or thrown out. It implies an irreversible removal, a permanent expulsion from the place of blessing and fellowship. It signifies complete alienation and severance.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth": This repeated motif in Jesus' teachings serves as a chilling, definitive signifier of eternal punishment and anguish for the lost. It encapsulates the deep physical and emotional suffering experienced by those who are ultimately rejected by God and separated from His presence. It signifies absolute despair.
- "when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God": The visual component amplifies the pain. The agony of the excluded is not merely their own suffering, but the agonizing realization that they are outside, while those whom they revered and believed would be with them are securely inside the Kingdom. This specifically challenges the presumption that shared heritage with the patriarchs guarantees salvation. The irony for many of Jesus' Jewish hearers would have been immense, as they would have considered their lineage as the ultimate guarantee.
- "but you yourselves cast out": This is the heart of the verse's reversal. It highlights the shocking turn of events where those who confidently expected to be insiders due to birthright or external religious association find themselves permanently excluded. This phrase underscores personal accountability for failure to respond to God's gracious invitation to the Kingdom.
Luke 13 28 Bonus section
This verse functions as a powerful polemic against the idea of automatic salvation based solely on Jewish lineage or outward association with God's people. Jesus implicitly distinguishes between "Israel according to the flesh" and "Israel according to the spirit," emphasizing that salvation is personal and based on one's genuine response to God's call. The sorrow of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" is intensified not merely by suffering, but by the excruciating realization of missed opportunity and squandered grace, compounded by witnessing the salvation of others, particularly those who were unexpected guests. The inclusion of Gentiles, alluded to in Luke 13:29, would have been deeply provocative to a Jewish audience, highlighting the shocking inversion of societal and religious expectations regarding God's favor. It warns against superficial religiosity, challenging hearers (then and now) to move beyond outward profession to inner transformation and active pursuit of God's Kingdom.
Luke 13 28 Commentary
Luke 13:28 is a forceful warning from Jesus regarding the exclusivity of God's Kingdom and the severity of its judgment. It's not a generic statement about hell but a pointed admonition, particularly directed at those who presumed salvation based on their lineage (as descendants of Abraham) or outward religious observance, rather than genuine, transformative faith and obedience to Christ. The vivid imagery of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" signifies ultimate, irredeemable despair and profound suffering arising from a permanent separation from God's presence.
The bitter agony of the excluded is amplified by the fact that they will see the very patriarchs and prophets—figures representing their spiritual heritage and true covenant faithfulness—joyfully within the Kingdom, while they, their presumed heirs, are outside. This vision adds profound psychological torment to their already agonizing state, compounding regret with the awareness of lost privilege. The core message is a rejection of false security based on presumed birthright or religious association. Entry into the Kingdom requires more than just knowing about Jesus or claiming an ancestral link; it demands a decisive, personal commitment and "striving" (Luke 13:24) to enter through the narrow door of faith and repentance, lived out in obedience. It serves as a stark reminder that true sonship with Abraham is a matter of faith, not merely flesh.