Luke 17 28

Luke 17:28 kjv

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Luke 17:28 nkjv

Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

Luke 17:28 niv

"It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.

Luke 17:28 esv

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot ? they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,

Luke 17:28 nlt

"And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business ? eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building ?

Luke 17 verses

Luke 17 28 Meaning

Luke 17:28 illustrates a vivid parallel between the everyday, mundane activities in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah just before their catastrophic destruction and the state of the world preceding the return of the Son of Man. It emphasizes that life will appear entirely normal and preoccupied with material concerns—eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building—up to the very moment of divine judgment. The verse highlights not that these activities are inherently wrong, but that their overwhelming preoccupation overshadowed any awareness or readiness for God's impending intervention. This serves as a warning against spiritual complacency and worldliness in anticipation of Christ's sudden return.

Luke 17 28 Context

Luke 17:28 is part of Jesus' teaching on the coming of the Kingdom of God and the sudden, unmistakable return of the Son of Man (Lk 17:20-37). Having told His disciples that the Kingdom would not come with observable signs and that His return would be as undeniable as lightning (Lk 17:20-24), Jesus then uses two historical precedents: the days of Noah (Lk 17:26-27) and the days of Lot (Lk 17:28-30). In both instances, life proceeded as usual, filled with ordinary activities, until abrupt and overwhelming judgment arrived. This verse specifically focuses on the seemingly normal existence in Sodom and Gomorrah as a powerful contrast to the sudden divine destruction that came upon them. It sets the stage for the specific example of Lot and the immediate departure from Sodom (Lk 17:29) and the fate of Lot's wife (Lk 17:31-32), highlighting the necessity of urgent readiness and non-attachment to worldly possessions.

Word Analysis

• Likewise (ὁμοίως - homoiōs): Signifies a strong parallel or similarity. It links the situation in Lot's days directly to the preceding comparison with Noah's days (Lk 17:26-27), indicating a consistent pattern for divine judgment upon a complacent world.
• also (καὶ - kai): Reinforces the additive nature of this example, demonstrating a recurrent theme in God's interaction with humanity.
• as it was in the days (ὡς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις - hōs egeneto en tais hēmerais): Points to a historical period or specific event serving as a prophetic type. "Days" here denotes the time leading up to and including the crucial events.
• of Lot (Λὼτ - Lōt): Refers to the biblical patriarch Lot and the events surrounding the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah found in Genesis 18-19. His experience provides a specific and dire warning.
• they did eat (ἤσθιον - ēsthion), they drank (ἔπινον - epinon): These verbs are in the imperfect tense, indicating continuous, habitual action. They describe daily sustenance and pleasure, representing a preoccupation with physical well-being.
• they bought (ἠγόραζον - ēgorazon), they sold (ἐπώλουν - epōloun): Also imperfect tense, indicating ongoing economic activity and material transactions. This highlights the focus on commerce and accumulation within their society.
• they planted (ἐφύτευον - ephuteuon): Imperfect tense. Refers to agricultural pursuits, implying long-term investment in land and future harvests, thus signaling an expectation of continued life and prosperity without interruption.
• they builded (ᾠκοδόμουν - ōikodomoun): Imperfect tense. Indicates ongoing construction, reflecting efforts to establish homes, infrastructure, and a secure future within the world.
• Words-group Analysis: The string of imperfect tense verbs ("they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded") collectively paints a picture of intense, unwavering engagement with ordinary earthly affairs. These activities, while not sinful in themselves, represent a populace utterly absorbed in temporal existence, neglecting any spiritual awareness or readiness for divine intervention. Their focus was entirely on worldly security and enjoyment, completely oblivious to their imminent destruction. This description of "business as usual" serves to highlight the sudden and unexpected nature of the judgment when it arrived, catching everyone unprepared who was not removed by divine grace.

Luke 17 28 Bonus section

• The choice to mention Lot, following Noah, underscores Jesus' teaching method of drawing upon well-known Old Testament narratives to illustrate spiritual truths relevant to the end times. Both accounts signify unexpected divine judgment during a period of widespread normalcy or moral decline.
• While the account in Genesis details the grave sins of Sodom (especially sexual immorality, Gen 19:4-9), Jesus in Luke 17 does not focus on the nature of their sin, but on their preoccupation with life as usual, which led to their unreadiness for judgment. This emphasizes the theme of suddenness and complacency more than moral transgression itself.
• The repetitive use of the imperfect tense for each action ("were eating," "were drinking," etc.) stresses the continuous and uninterrupted nature of these worldly activities, demonstrating the deep-seated normalcy that will characterize the period before Christ's return, thus amplifying the surprise of His advent.

Luke 17 28 Commentary

Luke 17:28 delivers a potent warning about the state of the world immediately preceding the return of Christ, drawing a stark parallel to the cities destroyed with Lot's departure. The activities described—eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building—are fundamental to human existence and economic life. The critical point is not that these activities are evil, but that the sole and absolute engrossment in them can blind people to spiritual realities and the urgency of God's coming judgment. Just as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by their earthly routines, ignoring the depravity and the warning, so too will humanity be profoundly immersed in the world's affairs at the time of Christ's second coming. This verse highlights the element of surprise and suddenness; life will appear completely normal, leading to spiritual complacency, until the divine intervention occurs. It serves as a call for believers to remain spiritually alert, not to become overly attached to material pursuits, and to live in readiness for the Lord's imminent return.