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Read the Bible

King James Version

Luke 18:11

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bigotry;   Conceit;   Confidence;   Extortion;   Hypocrisy;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Penitent;   Presumption;   Publicans;   Repentance;   Self-Delusion;   Self-Righteousness;   Tax;   Thankfulness;   Works;   Scofield Reference Index - Justification;   Thompson Chain Reference - Humility-Pride;   Prayer;   Pride;   The Topic Concordance - Abasement;   Exaltation;   Humbleness;   Hypocrisy;   Self-Righteousness;   Tithe;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Contempt;   Hypocrites;   Parables;   Pharisees, the;   Prayer, Answers to;   Presumption;   Pride;   Publicans;   Self-Delusion;   Self-Righteousness;   Thanksgiving;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Parable;   Publican;   Synagogue;   Temple;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adultery;   Boasting;   Humility;   Luke, gospel of;   Pharisees;   Prayer;   Pride;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Ethics;   Humility;   Pharisees;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hearing the Word of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Prayer;   Simeon;   Synagogue;   Zacchaeus;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Luke, Gospel of;   Parables;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Parable;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Almsgiving ;   Blessing (2);   Character;   Common Life;   Complacency;   Confession (of Sin);   Discourse;   Error;   Forgiveness (2);   Gestures;   Humility;   Justice (2);   Kneeling;   Law of God;   Mission;   Parable;   Prayer;   Prayer (2);   Profession (2);   Property (2);   Repentance (2);   Righteous, Righteousness;   Temple (2);   Thanksgiving ;   Trinity (2);   Winter ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Publicans;   1910 New Catholic Dictionary - parable of the pharisee and the publican;   pharisee and publican;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Pharisee;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Phar'isees,;   Prayer;   Synagogue;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Pharisees;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adoration;   Attitudes;   Court of the Sanctuary;   Extortion;   Forgiveness;   Gospels, the Synoptic;   Guilt;   Holiness;   Jesus Christ (Part 1 of 2);   Prayer;   Prayers of Jesus;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Adoration, Forms of;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for June 30;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 28;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Pharisee was standing
King James Version (1611)
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publicane.
English Standard Version
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
New American Standard Bible
"The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
New Century Version
The Pharisee stood alone and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people who steal, cheat, or take part in adultery, or even like this tax collector.
Amplified Bible
"The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: 'God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Legacy Standard Bible
The Pharisee stood and was praying these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Berean Standard Bible
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, 'God, I thank You that I am not like the other men-swindlers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.
Contemporary English Version
The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there.
Complete Jewish Bible
The Parush stood and prayed to himself, ‘O God! I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, immoral, or like this tax-collector!
Darby Translation
The Pharisee, standing, prayed thus to himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The Pharise stoode and prayed thus with himselfe, O God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publican.
George Lamsa Translation
And the Pharisee stood by himself, and prayed thus: O God, I thank thee, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, grafters, adulterers, and not like this publican.
Good News Translation
The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed, ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there.
Lexham English Bible
The Pharisee stood and prayed these things with reference to himself: ‘God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector!
Literal Translation
The Pharisee was standing, praying these things to himself: God, I thank You that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
American Standard Version
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Bible in Basic English
The Pharisee, taking up his position, said to himself these words: God, I give you praise because I am not like other men, who take more than their right, who are evil-doers, who are untrue to their wives, or even like this tax-farmer.
Hebrew Names Version
The Parush stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
International Standard Version
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, 'O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people - thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.Psalm 135:2; Isaiah 1:15; 58:2; Revelation 3:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
and, behold, the Pharisha stood (and) within himself these words prayed: Aloha, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious and unjust, and adulterers; nor as this publican.
Murdock Translation
And the Pharisee stood by himself, and prayed thus: God, I thank thee that I have not been like the rest of men, rapacious, oppressive, and adulterous; nor like this publican.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The pharisee stoode and prayed thus with hym selfe: God, I thanke thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or as this publicane.
English Revised Version
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
World English Bible
The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed thus, God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Weymouth's New Testament
The Pharisee, standing erect, prayed as follows by himself: "`O God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people--I am not a thief nor a cheat nor an adulterer, nor do I even resemble this tax-gatherer.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Farisee stood, and preiede bi hym silf these thingis, and seide, God, Y do thankyngis to thee, for Y am not as other men, raueinouris, vniust, auoutreris, as also this pupplican;
Update Bible Version
The Pharisee stood and prayed these things to himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Webster's Bible Translation
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
New English Translation
The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
New King James Version
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
New Living Translation
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector!
New Life Bible
The proud religious law-keeper stood and prayed to himself like this, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men. I am not like those who steal. I am not like those who do things that are wrong. I am not like those who do sex sins. I am not even like this tax-gatherer.
New Revised Standard
The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The Pharisee, taking his stand, these things unto himself was praying: O God! I thank thee, that I am not like the rest of men, - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or, even as this tax-collector;
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican.
Revised Standard Version
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The pharise stode and prayed thus wt him selfe. God I thanke the yt I am not as other men are extorsioners vniuste advoutrers or as this publican.
Young's Literal Translation
the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The Pharise stode, and prayed by himself after this maner: I thanke the God, that I am not as other men, robbers, vnrighteous, aduouters, or as this publican.
Mace New Testament (1729)
the Pharisee in a standing posture pray'd thus by himself, O God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, a robber, a cheat, an adulterer, or like that Publican.
Simplified Cowboy Version
The religious fellow thought he was better than other people, so he stayed away from everyone else and prayed, 'Thank you, God, for not making me like the lowlife cheaters, sinners, and fornicators. And a special thank you for not making me like that crooked brand inspector over there.

Contextual Overview

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

stood: Psalms 134:1, Psalms 135:2, Matthew 6:5, Mark 11:25

God: Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 58:2, Jeremiah 2:28, Jeremiah 2:35, Ezekiel 33:31, Micah 3:11, 1 Corinthians 4:7, 1 Corinthians 4:8, 1 Corinthians 15:9, 1 Corinthians 15:10, 1 Timothy 1:12-16, Revelation 3:17

as: Luke 20:47, Isaiah 65:5, Matthew 3:7-10, Matthew 19:18-20, Galatians 3:10, Philippians 3:6, James 2:9-12

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 15:13 - I have performed 1 Samuel 15:20 - Yea Psalms 51:17 - a broken spirit Psalms 123:3 - Have mercy Proverbs 12:15 - way Proverbs 13:7 - is that maketh himself rich Proverbs 20:6 - proclaim Proverbs 21:2 - right Proverbs 26:12 - a man Proverbs 30:12 - that are Ezekiel 16:56 - was not Ezekiel 22:12 - greedily Matthew 7:3 - why Matthew 9:12 - They that be whole Matthew 18:17 - a publican Matthew 19:20 - All Matthew 20:12 - borne Mark 2:16 - How Mark 10:20 - General Mark 10:31 - General Luke 1:53 - and Luke 5:30 - General Luke 15:29 - Lo Luke 15:30 - this Luke 16:15 - Ye Luke 18:9 - and despised Luke 18:21 - General John 4:23 - true Acts 10:28 - but Romans 2:23 - that makest Romans 7:14 - but Romans 12:3 - not to 1 Corinthians 5:11 - or an extortioner 2 Corinthians 10:12 - we dare not Galatians 6:3 - if Galatians 6:4 - and not

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Genesis 17:24
And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
Genesis 18:11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Genesis 18:12
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Genesis 18:18
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 18:21
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Genesis 31:35
And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.
Leviticus 15:19
And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
Luke 1:7
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Luke 1:18
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The Pharisee stood,.... Standing was a praying posture;

:- nor is this observed, as if it was something amiss: but the sense is, either that he stood in some place of eminence, that he might be seen of others; or he stood in a set, fixed posture, in a very grave and solemn manner, showing great devotion and seriousness; or he stood with great boldness and confidence:

and prayed thus with himself; the phrase, "with himself", may be read either with the word "stood", as it is in the Syriac version; and then the sense is that he stood alone, apart from the publican, at a distance from him, as despising him; and lest he should be polluted by him; see Isaiah 65:4 or with the word "prayed", and does not design internal prayer, which was what the Pharisees did not use; for all they did was to be seen, and heard of men: but the meaning is, that he prayed only with respect to himself; he was wholly intent upon himself; his own self, and the commendation of himself, were the subject of his prayer: his whole dependence in it was on himself; and he was only seeking by it his own glory: he had no regard to the people of God, to aid the saints, nor did he put up one petition for them; nor had he any respect to Christ, the mediator, through whom access is had to God, and acceptance with him; nor to the Holy Spirit for his assistance; and though he addressed himself to God, yet in praise of himself, saying,

God I thank thee: there is no petition in this prayer of his for pardoning grace and mercy; nor larger measures of grace; nor for strength to perform duties, and to hold on to the end; nor for any favour whatever; nor is there any confession of sin in it. So that it scarce deserves the name of a prayer, for in it is only a thanksgiving: indeed, thanksgiving in prayer is right; and had he been a man that had received the grace of God, it would have been right in him to have given thanks to God for it, by which he was made to differ from others: nor would he have been blameworthy, had he thanked God for the good things which he had received from him, or which by his assistance he had done; but nothing of this kind is said by him: he thanks God, in order to exalt himself, and places his righteousness in his own works, and treats all other men in a censorious and disdainful manner; thanking God, or rather blessing himself, saying,

that I am not as other men are; and yet he was as other men, and no better: he was a sinner in Adam, as other men; and a sinner by nature, as others are; and had the same iniquities and corruptions in his heart, as others; and had no more goodness in him than other men, and as far from true real righteousness. Perhaps he means the Gentiles, whom the Jews looked upon as sinners, and the worst of men; and yet they were in no wise better than the Gentiles, as to their state and condition by nature: it was usual to call the Gentiles

אחרים, "other men"; which phrase is sometimes explained by "the nations of the world" a; and sometimes by the "Cuthites", or "Samaritans" b; Isaiah 65:4- :. ---He goes on,

extortioners, unjust, adulterers; and yet all these characters belonged to the men of sect: the Pharisees were oppressors of the poor, devoured widows' houses, and extorted money from them, under a pretence of long prayers: they are aptly represented by the unjust steward, in Luke 16:1 and they were au unclean, unchaste, and an adulterous generation of men, Matthew 12:39

or even as this publican; pointing to him at some distance, with great scorn and disdain. This was his prayer, or thanksgiving. It may gratify the curiosity of some to have some other prayers of the Pharisees; and it may be worth while to compare them with this, between which there will appear a pretty deal of likeness.

"R. Nechunia ben Hakkana used to pray, when he went into the school, and when he came out, a short prayer: they said unto him, what is the goodness (or the excellency) of this prayer? he replied to them, when I go in, I pray, that no offence might come by means of me; and when I go out, "I give thanks" for my portion: when I go in, this is what I say, let it be thy good pleasure before thee, O Lord, my God, the God of my fathers, that I may not be angry with my colleagues, nor my colleagues be angry with me; that I may not pronounce that which is pure defiled, and that which is defiled, pure; that I may not forbid that which is lawful, nor pronounce lawful that which is forbidden; and that I may not be found ashamed in this world, and in the world to come: and when I come out, this is what I say; I confess before thee, (or I thank thee) O Lord God, and the God of my fathers, that thou hast given me my portion among those that sit in the schools, and synagogues, and hast not given me my portion in the theatres and shows: for I labour, and they labour; I watch, and they watch; I labour to inherit paradise, and they labour for the pit of corruption c.''

And these two prayers the Jews were obliged to recite at their going in, and coming out of the synagogue.

"It is a tradition of R. Juda, saying, three things a man ought to say every day; blessed be thou, שלא עשני גוי, "that thou hast not made me a Gentile"; blessed art thou, that thou hast not made me an unlearned man (or one that is vain and foolish, uncivil and uncultivated); blessed art thou, that hast not made me a woman d.''

In their prayer books e, these thanksgivings stand thus:

"blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast made me an Israelite; (in some books it is, as before, that thou hast not made me a Gentile;) blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast not made me a servant; blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, that thou hast not made me a woman:''

when the women, instead of this last, say:

"blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who has made me as he pleases.''

And very agreeable to one of these benedictions does the Ethiopic version render the prayer of the Pharisee here; "I thank thee, O Lord that thou hast not made me as other men".

a Gloss. in T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 111. 2. b Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 52. 2. c T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 7. 4. Vid. Misna Beracot, c. 4. sect. 2. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. d T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 13. 2. e Seder Tephillot, ed. Basil. fol. 2. 2. ed. Amst. fol. 4. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Stood and prayed thus with himself - Some have proposed to render this, “stood by himself” and prayed. In this way it would be characteristic of the sect of the Pharisees, who dreaded the contact of others as polluting, and who were disposed to say to all, Stand by yourselves. The Syraic so renders it, but it is doubtful whether the Greek will allow this construction. If not, it means, he said over to himself what he had done, and what was the ground on which he expected the favour of God.

God, I thank thee - There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an “appearance” of real religion. He did not profess to claim that he had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for him, and that he had a right to his gratitude for it. Hypocrites are often the most orthodox in opinion of any class of people. They know the truth, and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. They will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion, and who may be really wrong. We are not to judge of the “piety” of people by the fact that they admit the truth, or even that they use it often in their prayers. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that he has kept us from the gross sins which other people commit; but it should not be done in an ostentatious manner, nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees.

Extortioners - Rapacious; avaricious; who take away the goods of others by force and violence. It means, also, those who take advantage of the necessities of others, the poor and the oppressed, and extort their property.

Unjust - They who are not fair and honest in their dealings; who get the property of others by “fraud.” They are distinguished from “extortioners” because they who are unjust may have the “appearance” of honesty; in the other case there is not.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 18:11. Stood and prayed thus with himself — Or, stood by himself and prayed, as some would translate the words. He probably supposed it disgraceful to appear to have any connection with this penitent publican: therefore his conduct seemed to say, "Stand by thyself; I am more holy than thou." He seems not only to have stood by himself, but also to have prayed by himself; neither associating in person nor in petitions with his poor guilty neighbour.

God, I thank thee, c.] In Matthew 5:20, our Lord says, Unless your righteousness abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God: see the note there. Now, the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is described here by a Pharisee himself. We find it was twofold:

1. It consisted in doing no harm to others.

2. In attending all the ordinances of God, then established in the Jewish economy and in these things they were not like other men, the bulk of the inhabitants of the land paying little or no attention to them.

That the Pharisees were in their origin a pure and holy people can admit of little doubt; but that they had awfully degenerated before our Lord's time is sufficiently evident. They had lost the spirit of their institution, and retained nothing else than its external regulations. Matthew 16:1.

1. This Pharisee did no harm to others - I am not rapacious, nor unjust, nor an adulterer. I seize no man's property through false pretences. I take the advantage of no man's ignorance in buying or selling. I avoid every species of uncleanness. In a word, I do to others as I wish them to do to me. How many of those called Christians are not half as good as this Pharisee! And, yet, he was far from the kingdom of God.

2. He observed the ordinances of religion - I fast twice in the week. The Jewish days of fasting, in each week, were the second and fifth; what we call Monday and Thursday. These were instituted in remembrance of Moses' going up to the mount to give the law, which they suppose to have been on the fifth day; and of his descent, after he had received the two tables, which they suppose was on the second day of the week.


 
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