Luke 3 7

Luke 3:7 kjv

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Luke 3:7 nkjv

Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Luke 3:7 niv

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Luke 3:7 esv

He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Luke 3:7 nlt

When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?

Luke 3 verses

Luke 3 7 Meaning

In Luke 3:7, John the Baptist confronts the multitudes who came to be baptized by him, revealing their shallow motives and challenging them to demonstrate true repentance. His piercing question, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" exposes their attempts to participate in a religious ritual merely as an escape from divine judgment, without a genuine heart transformation or commitment to living righteously. It signifies that true relationship with God requires more than outward observance or Abrahamic lineage; it demands radical change in heart and life in anticipation of God's certain and imminent judgment.

Luke 3 7 Context

Luke 3:7 appears within the broader account of John the Baptist's ministry, specifically describing his powerful and confrontational preaching to the crowds gathered at the Jordan River. Immediately preceding this verse, Luke outlines John's calling as the "voice of one crying in the wilderness" (Lk 3:4), fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy to prepare the way for the Lord by calling for "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Lk 3:3). The crowds that came to him included common people, tax collectors, and soldiers (Lk 3:10-14), indicating a diverse response to his message. John's sharp words in verse 7 challenge the superficiality of many seeking baptism, implying their motive was to merely avoid divine judgment rather than a sincere turning away from sin. This sets the stage for John's subsequent call for "fruits worthy of repentance" (Lk 3:8), emphasizing practical righteousness over ritual. Historically, many Jews held a strong belief that their Abrahamic lineage guaranteed salvation, and rituals like immersion were often performed for various reasons beyond true spiritual repentance. John directly challenged this, demanding evidence of a changed heart and life.

Luke 3 7 Word analysis

• Then said he (ἔλεγεν οὖν, elegen oun): Indicates a continuous or repeated action, suggesting John was speaking to the arriving crowds over a period. "He" refers to John the Baptist.

• to the multitude (πλήθους, plēthous): Refers to a large crowd, a mass of people. It signifies the widespread response to John's ministry, indicating that people from diverse backgrounds were coming out to hear him. This was not a private rebuke but a public declaration.

• that came forth (τῶν ἐκπορευομένων, tōn ekporeuomenōn): Describes those who were continuously coming out, indicating an ongoing stream of people. The use of the present participle implies a procession, showing their active movement towards him.

• to be baptized (βαπτισθῆναι, baptisthēnai): From baptizō, meaning to immerse, cleanse, or purify. The passive infinitive suggests they were coming to receive baptism, perhaps focusing on the outward act rather than its inner significance of repentance and cleansing from sin.

• O generation of vipers (Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, Gennēmata echidnōn):

  • Gennēmata: "offspring," "brood," or "production." It points to their origin or innate character, implying they possess the nature of their "parent."
  • Echidnōn: "of vipers" or "poisonous snakes." Vipers are notoriously deceptive, dangerous, and symbolize treachery, poison, and a destructive nature. This term is a severe prophetic indictment, linking their inner disposition to a destructive, deceitful force, recalling the serpent in Genesis 3. It strips away their religious facade and highlights their spiritual state as children of rebellion, contrary to their Jewish identity based on Abrahamic lineage.

• who hath warned you (τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν, tis hypedeixen hymin): A rhetorical question.

  • Tis: "Who."
  • Hypedeixen: "showed," "warned," or "instructed." It implies an internal awareness or an external disclosure of coming danger. John challenges the source of their knowledge or perceived warning. Is it genuine fear from God, or mere self-preservation?

• to flee (φυγεῖν, phygein): To run away, escape, take flight. This indicates an action motivated by fear of consequences, rather than by a desire for reconciliation with God through repentance. They sought escape from judgment, not transformation unto righteousness.

• from the wrath (ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς, apo tēs orgēs):

  • Apo: "from," denoting separation.
  • Orgēs: "wrath," referring to God's settled, righteous indignation and punitive judgment against sin. This is not an abstract concept but a sure and impending divine act against ungodliness, often depicted as a purifying fire in biblical prophecy.

• to come (τῆς μελλούσης, tēs mellousēs): "About to be," "impending," or "future." This emphasizes the certainty and nearness of God's judgment, a present reality that has a future culmination. John warns that judgment is not a distant possibility but an imminent reality that demands immediate response.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "multitude that came forth to be baptized": This phrase paints a picture of people actively seeking an outward religious ritual, yet John questions their inner readiness for it. Their presence was clear, but their sincerity was dubious, hinting at superficial adherence rather than heart-level conviction.
  • "O generation of vipers": This is not merely an insult but a prophetic denunciation. It's a statement about their spiritual nature – children of deceit and evil, spiritually related to the serpent of old – regardless of their physical lineage from Abraham. It contrasts sharply with God's children.
  • "who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?": This rhetorical question highlights their apparent awareness of impending divine judgment. John questions whether their "warning" came from a place of true godly sorrow leading to repentance, or merely a self-preserving fear of consequences, leading to a superficial, crisis-driven desire for ritual without genuine transformation. It implicitly attributes the conviction (true or false) to a source, perhaps God, or simply to current events that made them fearful.

Luke 3 7 Bonus section

• John's choice of "vipers" (ἔχιδνῶν) aligns with the ancient understanding of the serpent as the embodiment of cunning evil, linked biblically to the deceiver in Eden, indicating the pervasive nature of sin and rebellion, even within those observing religious practices.
• The severity of John's language demonstrates prophetic zeal. Prophets often used sharp, uncompromising words to pierce through hardened hearts and bring people to genuine repentance, rather than merely confirming their present state. This was not personal insult but divine diagnosis.
• The "wrath to come" refers to the ultimate and decisive judgment of God, particularly associated with the coming Messiah (the Christ), who would both bring salvation and righteous judgment. It signifies the transition from the Old Covenant age to the New, marked by the arrival of God's definitive salvation and judgment.
• This verse highlights the continuous tension between genuine inner transformation and external religious observance within the biblical narrative. It shows that God looks at the heart, and ritualistic adherence without a change of heart is spiritually empty and brings no deliverance from divine wrath.

Luke 3 7 Commentary

Luke 3:7 serves as a powerful illustration of John the Baptist's uncompromising ministry, preparing the way for Christ by laying bare the true condition of the human heart before God. John did not flatter or sugar-coat the truth; he confronted the crowds directly, stripping away religious pretenses. His use of "O generation of vipers" was a shocking, direct challenge to their spiritual identity and a rebuke to the hypocrisy of outward religious practice divorced from inward transformation. This prophetic language underscores the severity of their spiritual state—living by deceit and opposition to God’s ways, like serpents—despite their participation in what seemed like a spiritual movement.

The question "who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" targets their motivation for seeking baptism. John discerned that many were approaching the ritual not out of genuine brokenness or desire for righteousness, but from a pragmatic fear of divine judgment. They wanted an escape from impending wrath without meeting God's requirement of a truly repentant heart evidenced by changed lives. John's message foreshadows Jesus' own condemnation of superficial piety, stressing that true righteousness transcends ceremonial observances or presumed status. This verse is a stark reminder that religious actions are meaningless, and even contemptible to God, if they do not spring from sincere repentance and lead to a life characterized by God's truth. It sets the foundation for John's subsequent call for tangible "fruits worthy of repentance" (Lk 3:8).