Luke 17:7

Mace New Testament

Who of you having a servant, that plows, or feeds your cattle, will immediately upon his coming from field, say to him, come and sit at table?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?

King James Version (1611)
But which of you hauing a seruant plowing, or feeding cattell, will say vnto him by & by when he is come from the field, Goe and sit downe to meate?

King James Version
But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

English Standard Version
"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table'?

New American Standard Bible
"Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, 'Come immediately and recline at the table to eat'?

New Century Version
"Suppose one of you has a servant who has been plowing the ground or caring for the sheep. When the servant comes in from working in the field, would you say, ‘Come in and sit down to eat'?

Amplified Bible
"Which of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep will say to him when he comes in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'?

Legacy Standard Bible
"But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat'?

Berean Standard Bible
Which of you whose servant comes in from plowing or shepherding in the field will say to him, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?

Contemporary English Version
If your servant comes in from plowing or from taking care of the sheep, would you say, "Welcome! Come on in and have something to eat"?

Complete Jewish Bible
If one of you has a slave tending the sheep or plowing, when he comes back from the field, will you say to him, ‘Come along now, sit down and eat'?

Darby Translation
But which of you [is there] who, having a bondman ploughing or shepherding, when he comes in out of the field, will say, Come and lie down immediately to table?

Easy-to-Read Version
"Suppose one of you has a servant who has been working in the field, plowing or caring for the sheep. When he comes in from work, what would you say to him? Would you say, ‘Come in, sit down and eat'?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Who is it also of you, that hauing a seruant plowing or feeding cattell, woulde say vnto him by and by, when hee were come from the fielde, Goe, and sit downe at table?

George Lamsa Translation
Now which of you has a servant who ploughs or feeds sheep, and if he should come from the field, would say to him, Enter in and sit down?

Good News Translation
"Suppose one of you has a servant who is plowing or looking after the sheep. When he comes in from the field, do you tell him to hurry along and eat his meal?

Lexham English Bible
"And which of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding sheep who comes in from the field will say to him, ‘Come here at once and recline at the table'?

Literal Translation
But which of you having a slave plowing or feeding will say at once to him coming out of the field, Come, recline?

American Standard Version
But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;

Bible in Basic English
But which of you, having a servant who is ploughing or keeping sheep, will say to him, when he comes in from the field, Come now and be seated and have a meal,

Hebrew Names Version
But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down at the table,'

International Standard Version
"Suppose a man among you has a servant plowing or watching sheep. Would he say to him when he comes in from the field, 'Come at once and have something to eat'?

Etheridge Translation
Which of you, having a servant who leadeth a yoke (of oxen) or who tendeth the flock, and when he cometh from the field, saith to him at once, Pass on and recline thyself ?

Murdock Translation
Which of you, having a servant driving a yoke of oxen, or tending sheep, will say to him when he cometh from the field, Pass on at once, and recline for supper?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But which of you, hauyng a seruaunt plowyng, or feedyng cattell, woulde say vnto hym by & by when he were come from the fielde, go and syt downe at the table:

English Revised Version
But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat;

World English Bible
But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down at the table,'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say to him as soon as he cometh from the field, Come and sit down to table?

Weymouth's New Testament
But which of you who has a servant ploughing, or tending sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the farm, `Come at once and take your place at table,'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But who of you hath a seruaunt erynge, or lesewynge oxis, which seith to hym, whanne he turneth ayen fro the feeld, Anoon go, and sitte to mete;

Update Bible Version
But who is there of you, having a slave plowing or keeping sheep, that will say to him, when he has come in from the field, Come right away and sit down to meat;

Webster's Bible Translation
But which of you having a servant plowing, or feeding cattle, will say to him immediately, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to eat?

New English Translation
"Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal'?

New King James Version
And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, "Come at once and sit down to eat'?

New Living Translation
"When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me'?

New Life Bible
"What if you owned a servant who was working in the field or taking care of sheep? Would you say to him when he came in from his work, ‘Come and sit down to eat?'

New Revised Standard
"Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table'?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, who from among you, having, a servant, plowing or keeping sheep, when he hath come in out of the field, will say to him - Straightway, come, and recline; -

Douay-Rheims Bible
But which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go. Sit down to meat.

Revised Standard Version
"Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down at table'?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Who is it of you yf he had a servaute plowinge or fedinge catell that wolde saye vnto him when he were come from the felde Goo quickly and syt doune to meate:

Young's Literal Translation
`But, who is he of you -- having a servant ploughing or feeding -- who, to him having come in out of the field, will say, Having come near, recline at meat?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Which of you is it, that hath a seruaunt (which ploweth, or fedeth the catell) wha he commeth home from ye felde, that he wil saye vnto him: Go quyckly, and syt the downe to meate?

THE MESSAGE
"Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat'? Wouldn't you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I've finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper'? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what's expected of him? It's the same with you. When you've done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.'"

Simplified Cowboy Version
When a cowboy comes in from checking fence, does the ranch owner tell him, 'Let me unsaddle your horse and rub it down while you go in and get something to eat?'

Contextual Overview

¹ Then said Jesus to his disciples, it is impossible but that discouragements should come: but wo to him, who is the occasion of them. ² it were better for him that a milstone were hang'd about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should occasion any innocent person to relapse. ³ take care of your conduct. if your brother offend you, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. ⁴ tho' he should offend you seven times in a day, and seven times in the day return to you, saying, I repent, you must forgive him. ⁵ The Apostles having said to the Lord, increase our faith, he answer'd them, ⁶ if your faith improv'd like a grain of mustard-seed, you might say to this sycamine-tree, be thou rooted up, and planted in the sea; and it should obey you. ⁷ Who of you having a servant, that plows, or feeds your cattle, will immediately upon his coming from field, say to him, come and sit at table? ⁸ won't he rather say, get ready my supper, dress yourself, and wait upon me, till I have done eating and drinking; after that, take your meal? ⁹ will he think himself oblig'd to that servant for doing what he was order'd? I believe not. ¹⁰ so when you have done all that you were commanded to do, say, we are unprofitable servants; we have only done what was our duty to do.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Luke 13:15, Luke 14:5, Matthew 12:11

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 15:18 - a double Matthew 21:21 - If ye have Luke 22:27 - General John 13:4 - laid aside 1 Corinthians 9:10 - that ploweth

Cross-References

Matthew 22:32
" I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" God is not a benefactor to the dead, but to the living.

Mark 10:14
which Jesus observing was much displeas'd with them, and said, suffer little children to come unto me, do not hinder them: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Acts 2:39
for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Romans 9:4
who are Israelites; who had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the form of divine worship, and the promises;

Ephesians 2:2
in which you formerly liv'd, influenc'd by the customs of this world, and by the prince of the aerial powers, the spirits that now actuate the incredulous:

Hebrews 8:10
but this is the alliance that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hebrews 11:16
they desired therefore a better, that is, an heavenly country: so that God is very justly stiled their God: for he had appointed a city for them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But which of you having a servant ploughing,.... In order to keep the disciples humble in the performance of such miraculous works; and that they might not imagine they could have any thing at the hands of God by merit; and to excite them to go on from one duty to another; and never think they have done, or done enough, or more than what is their duty, Christ delivers the following parable.

Which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle; or "sheep", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; or a "ploughman", or a "shepherd", as the Ethiopic version; which are both servile works, and done in the field: not that the disciples had any such servants under them, though the words are directed to them, for they had left all, and followed Christ; nor were they brought up to husbandry, but most of them in the fishing trade; Christ only puts this for instance, and supposes such a case:

will say unto him by and by; or straightway, immediately, directly,

when he is come from the field; and has done ploughing, and feeding his cattle, sheep, or cows, or whatever they are; as soon as ever he comes home; or "first", as the Persic version; the first thing he shall say to him, upon his return from thence,

go; to the other side of the room, and to the table there ready spread, and furnished; or "go up", as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it; go up to the upper room where they used to dine or sup; see Luke 22:12 or "come in", as the Persic version renders it; and which some learned men observe, is the sense of the Greek word here used; come into the house,

and sit down to meat? or fall, and lie down on the couch, as was the custom in those countries at eating.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Having a servant ... - This parable appears to have been spoken with reference to the rewards which the disciples were expecting in the kingdom of the Messiah. The occasion on which it was spoken cannot be ascertained. It does not seem to have any particular connection with what goes before. It may be supposed that the disciples were somewhat impatient to have the kingdom restored to Israel Acts 1:6 - that is, that he would assume his kingly power, and that they were impatient of the “delay,” and anxious to enter on “the rewards” which they expected, and which they not improbably were expecting in consequence of their devotedness to him. In answer to these expectations, Jesus spoke this parable, showing them,

1. That they should be rewarded as a servant would be provided for; but,
2. That this was not the “first” thing; that there was a proper “order” of things, and that thus the reward might be delayed, as a servant would be provided for, but at the proper time, and at the pleasure of the master; and,
3. That this reward was not to be expected as a matter of “merit,” but would be given at the good pleasure of God, for they were but unprofitable servants.

By and by - This should have been translated “immediately.” He would not, “as the first thing,” or “as soon” as he returned from the field, direct him to eat and drink. Hungry and weary he might be, yet it would be proper for him first to attend upon his master. So the apostles were not to be “impatient” because they did not “at once” receive the reward for which they were looking.

To meat - To eat; or, rather, place thyself at the table.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. - 9. Which of you, having a servant — It is never supposed that the master waits on the servant -- the servant is bound to wait on his master, and to do every thing for him to the uttermost of his power: nor does the former expect thanks for it, for he is bound by his agreement to act thus, because of the stipulated reward, which is considered as being equal in value to all the service that he can perform.