Luke 19:47 kjv
And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
Luke 19:47 nkjv
And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him,
Luke 19:47 niv
Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.
Luke 19:47 esv
And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him,
Luke 19:47 nlt
After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him.
Luke 19 47 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 20:19 | The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Him... but they feared the people. | Leaders wanted to seize Jesus but feared crowds. |
| Mk 11:27-28 | ...the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him and said, "By what authority...?" | Temple authorities challenge Jesus' authority. |
| Mk 14:1-2 | ...the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him. | Leaders' secret plot to kill Jesus. |
| Jn 11:53 | So from that day on they plotted to put Him to death. | Sanhedrin's formal decision to kill Jesus. |
| Matt 26:3-4 | ...the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest... and plotted... to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. | Religious leaders actively plotting Jesus' death. |
| Matt 21:45-46 | When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them... they sought to seize Him, but feared the crowds. | Leaders sought to seize Him, fearing the crowds' reaction. |
| Jn 7:1 | Jesus was walking in Galilee... He did not wish to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. | Broader and earlier attempts on Jesus' life. |
| Jn 5:18 | For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. | Specific reasons for leaders' desire to kill Jesus. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus... to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. | God's divine plan fulfilled through opposition. |
| Isa 53:8 | By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off... for the transgression of my people... | Prophecy of Messiah's unjust suffering and death. |
| Ps 2:1-2 | Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and against His Anointed. | Prophecy of earthly rulers conspiring against the Messiah. |
| Lk 19:45-46 | And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a robbers' den." | Immediate context: Temple cleansing provoked leaders. |
| Jn 8:2 | Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. | Confirming Jesus' consistent public teaching. |
| Lk 4:29-30 | ...they rose up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill... so that they might throw Him down... But passing through their midst, He went away. | Early attempts to harm Jesus from Nazareth. |
| Jn 18:19-21 | The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple..." | Jesus' open teaching, contrasting leaders' plots. |
| Lk 22:2 | The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death, for they were afraid of the people. | Parallel plot to kill Jesus, hindered by popular fear. |
| Mt 23:13-36 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites..." | Jesus' direct condemnations of the religious elite. |
| Mk 3:6 | The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. | Early conspiracy against Jesus by other groups. |
| Ps 118:22 | The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. | Jesus as the rejected Messiah by those meant to build. |
| 1 Cor 2:8 | ...none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. | Rulers' lack of spiritual understanding leading to crucifixion. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son... | Jesus came at a preordained time, into a world ripe for rejection. |
Luke 19 verses
Luke 19 47 Meaning
Luke 19:47 presents a striking contrast: Jesus, in profound authority and openness, was consistently teaching in the very heart of Jewish religious life, the temple. Simultaneously, and in direct opposition to His ministry, the consolidated religious and civic leadership – comprising the chief priests, scribes, and leading men – were diligently conspiring to put Him to death. This verse highlights the escalating tension of Passion Week and the profound conflict between divine truth and human power structures that reject it.
Luke 19 47 Context
Luke chapter 19 initiates the crucial Passion Week, Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem and His public ministry leading up to the crucifixion. Verse 47 follows immediately after Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem (19:28-40) and His cleansing of the temple, where He overturned the money changers' tables and condemned them for making God's house "a den of robbers" instead of "a house of prayer" (19:45-46). His teaching in the temple, therefore, occurs within an intensely charged atmosphere. It directly challenges the financial exploitation and religious corruption prevalent among the very leadership structures Jesus confronts in this verse. This setting reveals the fundamental clash between Jesus' authority and prophetic challenge versus the entrenched power and self-interest of the religious establishment, leading to their desire to "destroy Him."
Luke 19 47 Word analysis
- And He was teaching: Kai ēn didaskōn (Greek). ēn didaskōn is an imperfect tense construction, conveying continuous and habitual action. This highlights Jesus' consistent, open, and public ministry in the most central location for Jewish religious life.
- daily: kath' hēmeran (Greek). Emphasizes the unwavering commitment and accessibility of Jesus' instruction, day after day, not hidden or sporadic. This stands in stark contrast to the clandestine nature of His enemies' plotting.
- in the temple: en tō hierō (Greek). Refers to the Temple precinct, the sacred center of Judaism in Jerusalem, where large crowds gathered for worship and instruction. Jesus claims His rightful authority here, further fueling the ire of the existing leadership.
- but: de (Greek). A strong adversative conjunction, signifying a sharp and immediate contrast between Jesus' transparent, life-giving mission and the hidden, destructive intent of the religious authorities.
- the chief priests: hoi archiereis (Greek). This group, predominantly Sadducees, held political and religious power, controlling the temple cult and its vast revenues. They saw Jesus as a direct threat to their authority and economic interests.
- and the scribes: hoi grammateis (Greek). Experts in the Jewish Law, primarily Pharisees. Though often at odds with the Sadducees, they united with them against Jesus due to His challenging their legal interpretations, spiritual authority, and self-righteousness.
- and the leading men of the people: hoi prōtoi tou laou (Greek). This refers to the prominent elders and influential lay leaders, often members of the Sanhedrin, representing the broader Jewish aristocratic elite. Their inclusion signifies that the entire leadership of the nation stood against Jesus.
- were seeking: ezētoun (Greek). Imperfect tense, indicating ongoing, repeated efforts and a sustained, active desire to achieve their goal, not a fleeting impulse. Their plotting was continuous.
- to destroy Him: apolesai auton (Greek). The verb apollymi means to kill, ruin, utterly destroy, or bring to naught. It goes beyond merely silencing Jesus; their ultimate aim was His complete elimination. This reflects the profound level of animosity and perceived threat Jesus posed.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "He was teaching daily in the temple": This phrase paints a picture of divine authority and openness. Jesus consistently and publicly proclaimed God's truth from the most revered location, underscoring His prophetic and kingly role even in His last days. His teaching was accessible to all.
- "but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men of the people": This powerfully contrasts Jesus' transparency with the consolidated opposition of virtually the entire Jewish establishment. Despite their theological differences, these diverse powerful factions united against the perceived threat Jesus represented to their religious, political, and economic control.
- "were seeking to destroy Him": This reveals their malevolent intent and persistent plot. Their efforts were not merely defensive but actively malicious, aiming for His utter annihilation. This determination foreshadows the crucifixion and emphasizes the profound spiritual conflict at play.
Luke 19 47 Bonus section
The continuous nature of both Jesus' teaching (ēn didaskōn) and the leaders' seeking (ezētoun) underscores the intensifying struggle in the final week. While Jesus sought to save and instruct, the leaders' primary concern was to eliminate. This constant threat against Jesus highlights the reality of His unwavering commitment to His mission despite knowing the ultimate cost. The leaders, though seemingly in control of the temple and the people, ironically become instruments in fulfilling God's predetermined plan for salvation through the crucifixion of His Son (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). Their fear of the crowds also kept their plotting secret (Lk 20:19), showcasing their hypocrisy and lack of genuine spiritual authority; they sought the approval of people more than God's.
Luke 19 47 Commentary
Luke 19:47 stands as a powerful microcosm of Jesus' ministry—a constant tension between His open, life-giving proclamation of God's truth and the entrenched resistance of human institutions determined to cling to their power. Jesus taught daily, not hidden or in secret, in the Temple, a public and hallowed space where His divine authority was overtly demonstrated. This transparent ministry starkly contrasted with the dark, plotting intent of the Jewish religious leadership—the Chief Priests (primarily Sadducees, concerned with temple revenue and Roman favor), the Scribes (experts in the Law, mostly Pharisees, valuing tradition and legal interpretation), and the leading Men (influential elders). These diverse factions, normally divided, united in their shared fear and hatred of Jesus. His message, His actions like the Temple cleansing (which immediately precedes this verse), and His growing popularity among the common people threatened their established authority, wealth, and interpretation of faith. Their goal was not to refute His teachings but "to destroy Him"—a deep-seated, ongoing conspiracy aiming for His physical elimination. This verse therefore sets the stage for the dramatic events of the passion, revealing that Jesus' death was not a mere accident but the predetermined result of profound spiritual conflict between light and darkness, truth and institutional self-interest.