Luke 17 5

Luke 17:5 kjv

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Luke 17:5 nkjv

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

Luke 17:5 niv

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

Luke 17:5 esv

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

Luke 17:5 nlt

The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."

Luke 17 verses

Luke 17 5 Meaning

Luke 17:5 records a direct petition from the apostles to the Lord Jesus. After receiving challenging teachings about avoiding causing others to stumble and about radical, boundless forgiveness, the apostles recognized their human insufficiency to fulfill such high commands. Their request, "Increase our faith," expresses their understanding that a greater measure of divine trust and conviction in God's power was essential to live according to the standards of the Kingdom. They perceived a need for God to enlarge their capacity to believe, enabling them to obey and endure.

Luke 17 5 Context

Luke chapter 17 begins with profound and demanding instructions from Jesus. Verses 1-2 issue a grave warning against causing others to stumble in their faith, stating that severe consequences await those who do. Following this, in verses 3-4, Jesus delivers an equally challenging command: to forgive a brother who sins against them, not just once, but repeatedly, even "seven times in a day," if he truly repents each time. This degree of radical, tireless forgiveness, alongside the weighty responsibility of not being a stumbling block, must have seemed humanly impossible to the apostles. It is precisely in the face of these perceived insurmountable moral requirements that their plea in verse 5 arises. Their request, "Increase our faith," flows directly from the recognition that to live out these divine mandates requires an empowerment beyond their current spiritual capacity. Their cry is for the spiritual ability to perform these super-human acts of grace and love, setting the stage for Jesus' teaching on the mustard seed of faith in Lk 17:6 and the parable of the unworthy servant (Lk 17:7-10), emphasizing humility and duty rather than meritorious performance in service.

Luke 17 5 Word analysis

• And: Greek Kai (καί). A simple conjunction indicating sequence or connection, continuing the discourse from the preceding, challenging teachings. It signifies a direct response to what Jesus had just spoken.
• the apostles: Greek hoi apostoloi (οἱ ἀπόστολοι). This specific designation refers to the twelve whom Jesus specifically selected and sent forth with authority (Lk 6:13). Their identity as "apostles" highlights that even those foundational leaders in the nascent church felt inadequate in their faith in the face of God's expectations.
• said: Greek eipan (εἶπαν). A straightforward past tense verb, indicating a direct statement.
• unto the Lord: Greek tō Kyriō (τῷ Κυρίῳ). "Lord" (Kyrios) is a profound title here, used by the disciples to acknowledge Jesus' authority, deity, and mastery. Their request is directed to the one they believe has the power to grant it.
• Increase: Greek Prosthes (πρόσθες), from prostithemi (προστίθημι). It means "to add to," "to give besides," "to provide more of something already possessed." This isn't a request for a new type of faith but for more of the existing, qualitative faith they already possessed. It suggests a quantitative need for strength in their trust.
• our faith: Greek hēmin pistin (ἡμῖν πίστιν). Pistin (pistis) means "faith," signifying trust, conviction, belief, and reliance on God. The possessive "our" indicates personal ownership of their current measure of faith, coupled with the recognition that it belonged to them but needed augmentation by divine intervention.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• And the apostles said unto the Lord: This phrase establishes the collective action of Jesus' inner circle turning to Him as their supreme authority. Their joint appeal underscores the shared recognition of the spiritual demand laid before them and their communal dependence on Christ. It's a humble acknowledgment of human limitation before divine requirement.
• Increase our faith: This short, direct petition is born out of perceived inadequacy. Faced with commands of immense moral weight – preventing spiritual harm to others and offering radical, boundless forgiveness – they instinctively understand that such conduct is beyond human capacity driven by meager faith. They don't ask for the ability to perform the deeds themselves, but for an amplification of the inner spiritual power – faith – that would enable the deeds. It implies their awareness that true obedience springs from profound trust in God, and this trust is something God must impart or enlarge.

Luke 17 5 Bonus section

The apostles' request, while appearing to ask for a greater amount of faith, might also be interpreted as a request for greater quality or strength of faith—a deeper, more resolute trust in God that is not easily shaken by the difficulties inherent in radical Christian living. The term "increase" can imply either quantity or intensification. Their plea underscores a profound theological truth: while faith is personal, its initiation, sustenance, and growth are ultimately reliant on God's grace. It highlights the synergistic interplay between human seeking and divine giving in the journey of faith. We are to actively believe, yet faith itself is a gift and cultivated by God.

Luke 17 5 Commentary

Luke 17:5 captures a pivotal moment of genuine human humility and spiritual discernment. Faced with Jesus' extraordinarily demanding precepts concerning stumbling blocks and unconditional forgiveness, the apostles instinctively realize that living such a life transcends mere willpower. They do not argue, excuse themselves, or question the commands. Instead, they identify the root deficiency within themselves: insufficient faith. Their simple plea, "Increase our faith," is an implicit acknowledgment that faith is not merely a mental assent but a divine enablement, a capacity to trust God for what seems humanly impossible. It's a recognition that radical obedience necessitates radical faith.

This verse reveals a crucial aspect of discipleship: confronting divine expectations often exposes personal spiritual weakness. Rather than despairing or giving up, the proper response is to turn to the Lord, the ultimate source of all grace and power, and ask for what is needed. It demonstrates their spiritual maturity in understanding that God's commands are only made possible by His empowering grace through faith. Jesus' immediate response in the subsequent verse (Lk 17:6) does not confirm the need for a larger quantity of faith but refocuses on the quality and object of faith, stating that even faith like a mustard seed has immeasurable power because its trust is placed in an almighty God. The request, therefore, serves as a gateway to Jesus' deeper teaching on the nature and efficacy of true faith, however small it may seem.

Practical usage examples:

• When struggling to forgive someone deeply, ask God to "increase our faith" to trust Him with justice and to release bitterness.
• Facing an overwhelming task for God, recognize human inadequacy and petition the Lord to strengthen your faith for the journey.
• When tempted to compromise on truth or righteousness, remember the apostles' prayer, asking for faith to stand firm regardless of personal cost.