Luke 14:5 kjv
And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
Luke 14:5 nkjv
Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"
Luke 14:5 niv
Then he asked them, "If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?"
Luke 14:5 esv
And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?"
Luke 14:5 nlt
Then he turned to them and said, "Which of you doesn't work on the Sabbath? If your son or your cow falls into a pit, don't you rush to get him out?"
Luke 14 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 13:15-16 | The Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water?... ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” | Jesus argues for healing based on animal care. |
| Matt 12:11-12 | He said to them, “Which one of you, if he has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep!" | Similar Sabbath logic; sheep in pit. |
| Mk 3:4 | And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. | Saving life on Sabbath. |
| Lk 6:9 | And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” | Doing good on the Sabbath. |
| Matt 12:7 | And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. | Mercy over strict ritual law. |
| Hos 6:6 | For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. | Divine preference for mercy. |
| Micah 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? | Emphasis on kindness and justice. |
| Matt 23:23-24 | “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." | Neglecting weighty matters like mercy. |
| Lk 11:42 | “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” | Prioritizing minor rules over God's love. |
| Isa 1:13-17 | “Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me… cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” | Empty rituals without true obedience. |
| Mk 2:27-28 | And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” | Sabbath for human benefit. |
| Lk 6:1-5 | (Disciples plucking grain on Sabbath) Jesus explains David's actions with holy bread. | Sabbath rules less strict than supposed. |
| Jn 5:8-10 | Jesus said to him, “Get up, take your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was well and took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. | Healing on the Sabbath challenged. |
| Jn 9:13-16 | They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes... | Healing the blind man on the Sabbath. |
| Deut 22:4 | “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.” | Command to help animals in distress. |
| Exod 23:5 | “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall help him to lighten it." | Help for an overburdened animal. |
| Prov 12:10 | Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. | Compassion for animals, righteousness. |
| 1 Jn 4:7-8 | Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God... Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. | Foundation of divine action is love. |
| Lk 10:33-34 | But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds… | Example of immediate, merciful action. |
| Rom 13:10 | Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. | Love fulfills the law. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | Sabbath as a shadow, Christ as substance. |
| Isa 58:6-7 | “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house…?” | God's desired actions for fasting/worship. |
Luke 14 verses
Luke 14 5 Meaning
Luke 14:5 captures Jesus challenging the self-righteous legalism of the Pharisees and scribes regarding Sabbath observance. He exposes their hypocrisy by pointing to their own practice: they would, without hesitation, rescue a valuable animal, like a donkey or ox, that had fallen into a well, even on the Sabbath day. By contrasting this act, which could be seen as "work," with their condemnation of His healing on the Sabbath, Jesus highlights that mercy, compassion, and the preservation of life are far superior to rigid adherence to man-made interpretations of the law.
Luke 14 5 Context
Luke 14:5 occurs during a Sabbath meal at the house of a leading Pharisee. The atmosphere is one of observation, with guests "watching Him carefully" (Lk 14:1) due to Jesus' previous conflicts with the religious leaders over Sabbath observance. Just prior to this verse, Jesus asks if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, then heals a man suffering from dropsy (Lk 14:2-4), an act that clearly challenges the Pharisees' strict interpretations. Verse 5 is Jesus' rhetorical question, posed immediately after the healing, and it serves as a defense and counter-accusation to their implied judgment of His compassionate act. This particular incident is part of a larger pattern in Luke (and other Gospels) where Jesus continually redefines the Sabbath, emphasizing its purpose as a day for mercy, human benefit, and God's liberating work, rather than a rigid set of prohibitions.
Luke 14 5 Word analysis
And He answered them: ἀποκριθεὶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς (apokritheis pros autous). Jesus directly engages the implied accusations or scrutiny from His hosts, primarily the scribes and Pharisees. It marks a decisive verbal response to their silent disapproval.
saying, 'Which of you, having: εἶπεν, Τίνος ὑμῶν (eipen, Tinos hymōn). A rhetorical question, a common rabbinic method of debate. It forces the listeners to confront their own actions and implicit assumptions, expecting an undeniable common-sense answer.
a donkey or an ox: ὄνος ἢ βοῦς (onos ē bous). These were valuable, essential working animals for livelihood in an agrarian society. Their loss would mean significant economic hardship. Jesus appeals to their self-interest and widely accepted pragmatic actions.
that has fallen into a well: ἐμπεσεῖται φρέαρ (empesitai phrear). Describes a realistic and dangerous scenario. A "well" or "cistern" was often deep, and an animal could drown or be severely injured, necessitating immediate intervention.
will not immediately: οὐκ εὐθέως (ouk eutheōs). Emphasizes the urgency and necessity of the action. The phrase underlines that practical concern for their property overrides the default Sabbath regulations in their own behavior.
pull him out: ἀνασπάσει (anaspasei). The act of drawing up or rescuing. This act, while technically "work" under rigid interpretations, was a universally understood necessity to prevent a greater loss.
on the Sabbath day?': τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου (tē hēmera tou sabbatou). This phrase pinpoints the crux of the controversy. Jesus directly confronts their double standard: their willingness to break rigid Sabbath interpretations for material gain but their unwillingness to extend mercy or allow healing on the same day.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Which of you... will not immediately pull him out... on the Sabbath day?": This comprehensive rhetorical question directly exposes the hypocrisy of Jesus' opponents. It reveals their selective application of the law, where the practical need to prevent significant economic loss (saving an animal) supersedes their strict Sabbath rules, yet they condemn compassion for human suffering. It is a powerful ad hominem argument appealing to their own common sense and self-serving behavior.
- "having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a well": This specific, relatable scenario anchors Jesus' argument in the listeners' everyday lives and material concerns. It illustrates an undeniable and urgent situation where "work" on the Sabbath is universally accepted, serving as the "lesser" case that logically justifies the "greater" case of compassionate healing.
Luke 14 5 Bonus section
Rabbinic discussions existed concerning animals falling into pits on the Sabbath, showing it was a recognized problem. While the extent of "work" permitted could vary by rabbinic school, it was generally understood that valuable animals should not be left to perish, often allowing for actions to rescue or prevent further harm until after the Sabbath, or even immediate rescue in severe cases. Jesus is drawing on this established tension within their own practices. This specific instance in Luke also directly parallels Jesus' teaching in Lk 13:15-16 where he similarly contrasts the release of an ox or donkey for water on the Sabbath with the healing of a "daughter of Abraham" from suffering.
Luke 14 5 Commentary
Luke 14:5 encapsulates Jesus' recurring critique of the Pharisees' legalism concerning the Sabbath. He exposes their hypocrisy not through abstract theology, but by appealing to their very own pragmatic actions. By pointing out that any sensible person would immediately rescue a valuable animal from a life-threatening situation on the Sabbath, Jesus highlights their distorted priorities. They rigidly enforced detailed traditions, often overlooking the spirit of the law—compassion and human welfare—while simultaneously making exceptions for their own financial benefit. Jesus implicitly argues for the divine mandate for compassion over restrictive human interpretations, subtly transitioning from the saving of an animal (valuable property) to the more profound implication of saving and healing human life (an invaluable creation). The lack of an answer from His accusers in Lk 14:6 underscores the irrefutability of His argument and their conviction. This verse is a concise illustration that God's law, particularly the Sabbath, was intended for the good and flourishing of humanity, not as a burdensome set of arbitrary rules that negate acts of love and mercy.