Luke 17:11 kjv
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:11 nkjv
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:11 niv
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:11 esv
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
Luke 17:11 nlt
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.
Luke 17 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 9:51 | Now it came to pass, when the days were near for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. | Jesus' fixed resolve to go to Jerusalem. |
| Lk 13:22 | And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. | Continual journey towards Jerusalem. |
| Lk 18:31 | Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem..." | Final approach and prophecy of passion. |
| Lk 19:11 | Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem... | Proximity to Jerusalem and further teaching. |
| Lk 19:28 | When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. | Entry into Jerusalem. |
| Jn 4:4 | But He needed to go through Samaria. | Jesus' deliberate path through Samaria. |
| Jn 4:7-9 | A woman of Samaria came to draw water... for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. | Illustrates Jewish-Samaritan animosity. |
| Lk 9:52-56 | He sent messengers ahead of Him... But they did not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. | Samaritan rejection of Jesus going to Jerusalem. |
| Acts 1:8 | But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... and to Samaria and the end of the earth. | Gospel's outreach includes Samaria. |
| Acts 8:4-8 | Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. | Philip's ministry in Samaria. |
| Eph 2:14 | For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. | Jesus uniting Jew and Gentile. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Unity in Christ transcends ethnic barriers. |
| Mk 7:24-30 | Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon... and He entered a house and wanted no one to know it... a Syrophoenician woman... | Jesus ministering to Gentiles. |
| Mt 8:11-12 | "And I say to you that many will come from the east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." | Gentiles included in the Kingdom. |
| Lk 7:1-10 | Now when He concluded all His sayings... a centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick... | Healing a Gentile's servant. |
| Is 49:6 | "Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob... I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles...'" | Prophecy of Messiah as light to Gentiles. |
| Mic 4:2 | Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob..." | Future Gentile inclusion. |
| Jer 31:6 | For there shall be a day when the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, "Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God." | Israelites (including Ephraim, associated with Samaria) return to Jerusalem. |
| Lk 17:12 | As He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers... | Immediate context, leading to healing. |
| Zec 8:20-22 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Peoples shall yet come... from many cities... and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another...'" | Pilgrimage to Jerusalem by many peoples. |
Luke 17 verses
Luke 17 11 Meaning
This verse sets the scene for a significant event in Jesus' ministry, highlighting His deliberate progression towards Jerusalem, the theological destination where His redemptive work would be consummated. His chosen path, traversing the geographical boundary between Samaria and Galilee, is purposeful. It underscores His unwavering mission to reach all people, even in regions fraught with deep-seated social and ethnic division. This journey location provides the specific context for His subsequent encounter with the ten lepers, symbolizing His compassionate outreach across all boundaries.
Luke 17 11 Context
Luke 17:11 marks a significant point in Jesus' final journey toward Jerusalem, often referred to as Luke's "Travel Narrative" (Lk 9:51-19:27). This section details Jesus' teachings, parables, and encounters as He purposefully moves towards His ultimate mission there. Immediately preceding this verse, Jesus has been teaching about humility, forgiveness, faith, and the nature of God's service (Lk 17:1-10). The setting of this journey is crucial because it leads directly into the narrative of the healing of the ten lepers (Lk 17:12-19), one of whom is a Samaritan.
Historically, the regions of Samaria and Galilee represented deeply divided communities. Samaria, located between Judea (south) and Galilee (north), was inhabited by people considered ethnically mixed and religiously heretical by orthodox Jews. They had their own temple on Mount Gerizim and accepted only the Pentateuch. Jewish pilgrims often avoided passing through Samaria, opting for longer routes through the Jordan Valley to bypass their Samaritan neighbors due to mutual animosity. Jesus choosing to travel through this contested border region demonstrates His unique mission, transcending racial and religious prejudice, and prefigures the inclusive nature of the Kingdom of God that breaks down all dividing walls.
Luke 17 11 Word analysis
- Καὶ (Kai): "And," "Now it happened that." This Greek conjunction serves more than just to connect clauses. Here, it acts as a narrative transition, indicating a new phase or event in the story, often with a sense of significant shift.
- ἐγένετο (egeneto): "It happened," "it came to pass." A common Lukan idiom, akin to the Hebrew "wayehi." It emphasizes divine initiative and the unfolding of God's predetermined plan. This phrase suggests an event of importance is about to occur as part of a larger divine purpose.
- ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτὸν (en tō poreuesthai auton): "as He was on His way," "as He was journeying." This participial phrase denotes continuous action, emphasizing that Jesus' movement was an ongoing process, not a sudden departure. It underscores the purposeful nature of His journey.
- εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ (eis Hierousalēm): "to Jerusalem." More than a mere geographical point, Jerusalem is the theological climax of Luke's Gospel. It is the destination where prophecies must be fulfilled, where the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ will take place, establishing His definitive triumph. Luke continually points towards this journey (Lk 9:51, Lk 13:22, Lk 18:31, Lk 19:11).
- καὶ αὐτὸς διήρχετο (kai autos diērcheto): "He Himself was passing through." The repetition of "and He" (kai autos) emphasizes Jesus' personal and direct action in traversing this particular territory. "Diērcheto" (διήρχετο), from dierchomai, means to "go through," implying a purposeful and complete traversing, not just a brief stop. The imperfect tense indicates continuous movement.
- διὰ μέσου Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας (dia mesou Samareias kai Galilaias): "through the middle/border region of Samaria and Galilee." This phrasing has been subject to scholarly discussion. "Dia mesou" can mean "through the midst of" or "through the region between." Given the socio-political realities, Jesus was likely traveling along the border road or the geographical transition zone rather than directly penetrating deep into Samaritan territory and then Galilee sequentially on His way to Jerusalem. This liminal space is significant. It highlights His ministry is not confined to one specific ethnic or geographical group, but crosses traditional divides, positioning Him at the nexus of distinct peoples. It points to a neutral, yet charged, territory where Samaritan and Galilean/Judean elements could intersect, setting the stage for interactions that challenge ethnic boundaries, as seen with the grateful Samaritan leper in the verses that follow.
Luke 17 11 Bonus section
- Luke's Gospel has a particular emphasis on journeys and geographical movement as symbolic of spiritual progression and divine purpose. This verse perfectly fits within that narrative pattern, signifying a continued forward motion towards destiny.
- The "border region" signifies a liminal space – a place of transition, betwixt and between. Such places often become sites of profound encounters and transformations in biblical narratives. For Jesus, this border is not a barrier but a point of intersection, where divine grace meets human need across all lines of division.
- By setting the healing of the lepers (especially the Samaritan's gratitude) immediately after describing this journey path, Luke implicitly links Jesus' choice of travel with the universal nature of His salvific work and His call for radical inclusivity and gratitude that transcends ethnic and religious loyalties.
Luke 17 11 Commentary
Luke 17:11 precisely locates Jesus within Luke's extended travel narrative, stressing His unwavering trajectory toward Jerusalem. This verse is a navigational marker but carries deep theological implications beyond mere geography. Jesus’ chosen path, traversing the tension-filled borderlands between Samaria and Galilee, symbolizes His mission of inclusion. He intentionally places Himself in a space of social and religious contention, underscoring that His ministry of healing and salvation is available to all, regardless of deeply ingrained ethnic or social prejudices. This specific location anticipates the immediate narrative of the ten lepers, especially the gratitude of the solitary Samaritan among them, further exemplifying the radical impartiality and universal scope of Jesus' compassion. It is in these liminal spaces, at the edge of accepted norms, that Jesus often reveals the expansive nature of God's grace.