Luke 20 47

Luke 20:47 kjv

Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Luke 20:47 nkjv

who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

Luke 20:47 niv

They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely."

Luke 20:47 esv

who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

Luke 20:47 nlt

Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished."

Luke 20 verses

Luke 20 47 Meaning

Luke 20:47 declares that certain religious leaders, specifically the scribes, deceptively exploit vulnerable widows by consuming their property and wealth. They mask this predatory behavior with a outward display of exaggerated and long prayers, performed not for genuine piety but for public show. Jesus states that such individuals will face a particularly severe divine judgment due to their hypocrisy, exploitation, and perversion of true religion.

Luke 20 47 Context

Luke 20 is situated during Holy Week, days before Jesus' crucifixion, while He is teaching in the Jerusalem Temple. The chapter details Jesus' confrontations with various religious and political authorities – the chief priests, scribes, and elders (questioning His authority, Lk 20:1-8), the parables challenging their rejection (parable of the tenants, Lk 20:9-19), the Sadducees (question about resurrection, Lk 20:27-40), and the Herodians (question about taxes, Lk 20:20-26).Verse 47 concludes Jesus' public denouncement of the scribes' hypocrisy, immediately following His challenge to their understanding of the Messiah (Lk 20:41-46). This verse serves as a climactic exposure of their spiritual bankruptcy. It directly precedes Jesus observing the poor widow giving her offering in Luke 21:1-4, which provides a powerful contrast between genuine piety and exploitative pretense.Historically, scribes were respected teachers and interpreters of the Law, holding significant societal influence. Widows, on the other hand, were among the most vulnerable in ancient Near Eastern society, lacking male protectors and often facing poverty. Jewish Law placed a strong emphasis on protecting widows and orphans. The scribes' actions directly contradicted these foundational commands, making their sin particularly egregious. The "long prayers" were typical outward displays of piety for religious leaders, often conducted in public spaces.

Luke 20 47 Word analysis

• who (οἱ – hoi): masculine plural article, referring to "the scribes" previously mentioned in Luke 20:46. It directly identifies the perpetrators.
• devour (κατεσθίουσιν – katesthíousin): Present tense active indicative verb, meaning "to eat down," "to consume," "to appropriate entirely," "to exploit mercilessly." The use of "devour" here is metaphorical, indicating a complete and ruthless taking of resources. It conveys an aggressive, rapacious action, likening the exploitation to an animal devouring its prey.
• widows' (χηρῶν – chērōn): Genitive plural noun from chēra, meaning "a widow." Widows were exceptionally vulnerable members of society in biblical times, often without financial support or legal protection.
• houses (οἰκίας – oikías): Accusative plural noun from oikia, referring to a dwelling, but also more broadly to one's household, property, and resources. Devouring their "houses" meant stripping them of their livelihood and financial security. This could involve fraud, manipulation of wills, taking advantage of their lack of legal knowledge, or demanding excessive 'gifts' for spiritual services.
• and (καὶ – kai): Conjunction, connecting the exploitation to the pretense.
• for a pretense (προφάσει – prophasei): Dative singular noun from prophasis, meaning "a pretext," "an excuse," "an outward show," "a specious reason." This highlights the insincerity and deceptive nature of their actions. They perform religious duties to cover their true motives.
• make (μακρὰ – makra): Literally "long," neuter plural adjective modifying prayers. It refers to the length of the prayers.
• long (προσευχόμενοι – proseuchomenoi): Present participle from proseúchomai, "to pray." Used with makra, it forms the phrase "making long prayers."
• prayers (This is an implied word, based on "long" and "praying"). The phrase "μακρὰ προσεύχονται" literally means "they pray long (things/words)." This signifies that the prayers themselves, regardless of content, are extended to impress, not to genuinely commune with God.
• These (οὗτοι – houtoi): Demonstrative pronoun, referring directly back to the scribes.
• will receive (λήμψονται – lēmpsontai): Future tense indicative verb from lambanō, "to receive," "to get." This points to a certain future outcome.
• greater (περισσότερον – perissoteron): Comparative adjective, "more," "greater," "more abundant." It emphasizes the increased severity of the condemnation.
• condemnation (κρίμα – krima): Nominative singular noun, meaning "judgment," "verdict," "sentence." The implication is divine judgment.

Words-group analysis

• devour widows' houses: This phrase succinctly captures the ruthless and systemic exploitation of the most vulnerable. It is a metaphor for complete financial and perhaps even spiritual ruin, undertaken by those who should be their protectors.
• and for a pretense make long prayers: This juxtaposes the spiritual facade with the wicked action. The "pretense" underscores the hypocrisy – their piety is performative, intended to build a reputation or cover their evil deeds, not to honor God. Long prayers were often seen as a mark of devotion and holiness, granting scribes respect and influence.
• These will receive greater condemnation: This climactic pronouncement highlights the escalated severity of judgment for such hypocritical exploitation. Their religious status and knowledge of God's law amplify their guilt, as they abuse their position and mock God through their deceitful actions. The "greater" condemnation implies that their actions are far worse than typical sins, given their privileged position and pretense of godliness.

Luke 20 47 Bonus section

This verse encapsulates a profound critique of religious systems that prioritize outward appearances and personal gain over true righteousness, mercy, and justice. The immediate context following this verse, Jesus observing the poor widow giving her meager two coins (Luke 21:1-4), provides a striking contrast: the "widow" is both the victim of the scribes' exploitation and the paragon of true devotion. The scribes took from widows, while this poor widow, despite her vulnerability, selflessly gave her all to God. This juxtaposition highlights that true worship and righteousness lie in a heart of sincere sacrifice and care, not in external displays or selfish exploitation. The principle of greater judgment for those who have greater knowledge or authority is consistent throughout Scripture (e.g., Lk 12:48; Jas 3:1). The scribes were teachers of the Mosaic Law, which explicitly commanded the care and protection of widows, yet they perverted this law for personal gain. This made their sin particularly offensive to God.

Luke 20 47 Commentary

Luke 20:47 serves as a severe condemnation of religious hypocrisy and spiritual abuse. Jesus exposes the true character of some religious leaders whose outward piety (long prayers, desire for prominent seats mentioned in Lk 20:46) masked a core of avarice and injustice. Their sin was not merely neglecting the vulnerable but actively preying upon them, especially "widows," the quintessential symbol of defenselessness and poverty in ancient society. The term "devour" suggests a predatory and rapacious exploitation, indicating that these religious elites systematically impoverished those they were supposed to protect and serve. Their long prayers were a calculated performance, designed to enhance their reputation and potentially extract even more resources from trusting individuals, all while serving their self-interest. Jesus warns that this duplicity and exploitation will result in "greater condemnation" (Gk. perissoteron krima). This pronouncement underscores a fundamental biblical principle: those who hold positions of spiritual leadership or claim to represent God have a higher responsibility, and thus their failure to uphold justice and righteousness, especially when coupled with deliberate deception and oppression of the weak, will incur a more severe divine judgment. The verse is a powerful call for authentic godliness, genuine care for the vulnerable, and a stern warning against all forms of spiritual pretense used to conceal sin and self-serving ambition.