Bible Strands
Luke 20:47
They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus concludes his warning to the gathered crowd about scribes who seek public honor and religious display. He identifies a specific group whose conduct warrants severe judgment.
The words — The text highlights κατεσθίουσιν (katesthiousin, "devour") and προφάσει (prophasei, "as a pretext") to describe the scribes' actions. These terms literally denote consuming the property of widows while using religious observance as a cover.
The thread — This charge appears identically in Mark 12:40, linking the exploitation of widows with performative prayer. The principle of heightened accountability for religious instructors continues in James 3:1, which warns that teachers face stricter judgment.
Why it lands — The text states that these men will receive greater condemnation for combining financial exploitation with public piety. Readers must acknowledge that religious leadership carries stricter standards and that outward devotion cannot offset the mistreatment of the vulnerable.
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
Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Cross-references
- Mark 12:40 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
- James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
- Luke 12:1 In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
- Luke 12:47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
- Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
- Isaiah 10:2 to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.
- Jeremiah 7:6 if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm,
- Ezekiel 33:31 So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.
- Amos 2:7 They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.
- Amos 8:4 Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land,