Luke 17:10

So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples directly, concluding the parable of the servant who receives no thanks for doing what was told (17:7–9).

The words — Διαταχθέντα (diatachthenta), aorist passive participle of διατάσσω, carries the force of a binding command or ordinance, not a suggestion; the Greek marks the action as something imposed from outside the servant.

The thread — The same logic of obligation without credit appears in 1 Corinthians 9:16 ("woe to me if I do not preach") and Job 22:2 ("Can a man be of use to God?").

Why it lands — It removes the implicit bargain that obedience earns gratitude or standing before God, leaving duty as the whole of the relationship.

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

οὕτωςhoutōsThus καὶkaialso ὑμεῖς,humeisyou yourselves,ὅτανhotanwhen ποιήσητεpoiēsēteyou may have done πάνταpantaall τὰtathe [things]διαταχθένταdiatachthentahaving been commanded ὑμῖν,huminyou,λέγετεlegetedo say ὅτιhotithat δοῦλοιdouloiServants ἀχρεῖοίachreioiunworthy ἐσμεν·esmenare we;ὅτιhotifor ὃhothat which ὠφείλομενōpheilomenwe were obliged ποιῆσαιpoiēsaito do πεποιήκαμεν.¶pepoiēkamenwe have done.

King James Version

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Job 22:2 “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Job 35:6 If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?
Romans 11:35 “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
Proverbs 16:2 All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
1 Chronicles 29:14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You.
Isaiah 64:6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
Matthew 25:37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?