Bible Strands
Luke 10:29
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The unnamed lawyer addresses Jesus immediately after Jesus confirms his correct summary of the law and commands him to obey it. The question arrives at a defensive pivot point in their dialogue.
The words — θέλων (thelōn) translates to "desiring" and δικαιῶσαι (dikaiōsai) to "to justify." The syntax places the desire for self-justification as the direct motive for the inquiry.
The thread — This defensive posture parallels Luke 16:15, where religious figures justify themselves before people, and Luke 18:9, where a man trusts in his own righteousness while despising others. It stands in direct tension with Leviticus 19:34, which commands loving the foreigner as oneself.
Why it lands — The text records a question designed to limit obligation rather than seek understanding. It requires a reader to identify self-protective motives before any further instruction is received.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Cross-references
- Luke 16:15 So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
- Luke 18:9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
- Leviticus 19:34 You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
- Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’
- Galatians 3:11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- Romans 10:3 Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
- Luke 10:36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
- Romans 4:2 If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
- Job 32:2 This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God,
- James 2:24 As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.