Luke 18:12

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I fast

King James Version (1611)
I fast twise in the weeke, I giue tithes of all that I possesse.

King James Version
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

English Standard Version
I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'

New American Standard Bible
'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

New Century Version
I fast twice a week, and I give one-tenth of everything I get!'

Amplified Bible
'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

Legacy Standard Bible
I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

Berean Standard Bible
I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I receive.'

Contemporary English Version
I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn."

Complete Jewish Bible
I fast twice a week, I pay tithes on my entire income, . . . '

Darby Translation
I fast twice in the week, I tithe everything I gain.

Easy-to-Read Version
I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of everything I get!'

Geneva Bible (1587)
I fast twise in the weeke: I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse.

George Lamsa Translation
But I fast twice a week, and I give tithes on everything I earn.

Good News Translation
I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.'

Lexham English Bible
I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get.'

Literal Translation
I fast twice on the sabbath; I tithe all things, as many as I get.

American Standard Version
I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.

Bible in Basic English
Twice in the week I go without food; I give a tenth of all I have.

Hebrew Names Version
I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'

International Standard Version
I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of my entire income.'

Etheridge Translation
But I fast twice in the week, and tithe whatever I possess.

Murdock Translation
But I fast twice in a week, and tithe all I possess.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I fast twise in the weeke, I geue tithe of all that I possesse.

English Revised Version
I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.

World English Bible
I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I get.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I fast twice in the week: I give tythes of all that I possess.

Weymouth's New Testament
I fast twice a week. I pay the tithe on all my gains.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y faste twies in the woke, Y yyue tithis of alle thingis that Y haue in possessioun.

Update Bible Version
I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.

Webster's Bible Translation
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

New English Translation
I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.'

New King James Version
I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'

New Living Translation
I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

New Life Bible
I go without food two times a week so I can pray better. I give one-tenth part of the money I earn.'

New Revised Standard
I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I fast twice in the week, I give a tenth of whatsoever things I gain!

Douay-Rheims Bible
I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.

Revised Standard Version
I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I fast twyse in ye weke. I geve tythe of all that I possesse.

Young's Literal Translation
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things -- as many as I possess.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I fast twyse in the weke, I geue the tithes of all that I haue.

Mace New Testament (1729)
I fast twice a week, and I pay the tythe of all I possess.

Simplified Cowboy Version
God, I go without food twice a week, and I tithe religiously.'

Contextual Overview

⁹He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' ¹³ "Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'" ¹⁴ Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fast: Luke 17:10, Numbers 23:4, 1 Samuel 15:13, 2 Kings 10:16, Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 58:2, Isaiah 58:3, Zechariah 7:5, Zechariah 7:6, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:16, Matthew 9:14, Matthew 15:7-9, Romans 3:27, Romans 10:1-3, 1 Corinthians 1:29, Galatians 1:14, Ephesians 2:9, 1 Timothy 4:8

I give: Luke 11:42, Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:24, Malachi 3:8, Matthew 23:23, Matthew 23:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:20 - tithes Deuteronomy 12:6 - tithes Proverbs 21:2 - right Ecclesiastes 7:16 - Be not Matthew 19:20 - All Matthew 20:12 - borne Mark 2:18 - Why Mark 10:20 - General Luke 5:33 - Why Luke 15:29 - Lo Luke 18:21 - General Revelation 3:17 - I am

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?"

Genesis 18:6
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."

Genesis 18:7
Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.

Genesis 18:11
Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?"

Genesis 18:13
God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?' Is anything too hard for God ? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby."

Genesis 18:20
God continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."

1 Peter 3:6
Cultivate Inner Beauty The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as "my dear husband." You'll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I fast twice in the week,.... Not "on the sabbath", as the words may be literally rendered, and as they are in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; for the sabbath was not a fasting, but a feasting day with the Jews; for they were obliged to eat three meals, or feasts, on a sabbath day, one in the morning, another at evening, and another at the time of the meat offering: even the poorest man in Israel, who was maintained by alms, was obliged to keep these three feasts f. It was forbidden a man to fast, until the sixth hour, on a sabbath day; that is, till noon g: wherefore, it is a great mistake in Justin h and Suetonius i, that the sabbath was kept by the Jews as a fast. But the word is rightly rendered, "in the week"; the whole seven days, or week, were by the Jews commonly called the sabbath; hence, אחד בשבת, "the first of the sabbath", and the second of the sabbath, and the third of the sabbath k; that is, the first, second, and third days of the week. Now the two days in the week on which they fasted were Monday and Thursday, the second and fifth days; on which days the law of Moses, and the book of Esther were read, by the order of Ezra l; and fasts for the congregation were appointed on those days m; and so a private person, or a single man, as in this instance, took upon him, or chose to fast on the same n: the reason of this is, by some, said to be, because Moses went up to Mount Sinai on a Thursday, and came down on a Monday o. But though these men fasted so often, they took care not to hurt themselves; for they allowed themselves to eat in the night till break of day. It is asked p,

"how long may a man eat and drink, i.e. on a fast day? until the pillar of the morning ascends (day breaks); these are the words of Rabbi (Judah): R. Eliezer ben Simeon says, until cock crowing.''

So that they had not so much reason to boast of these performances: he adds,

I give tithes of all that I possess; not only of what was tithable by the law of Moses, as the produce of his ground; and by the traditions of the elders, as the herbs in his garden,

Matthew 23:23 but of every thing he had, which was not required by either of them; upon which he thought himself a very righteous person, and more than a common man: it is asked q,

"who is a plebeian? (one of the people of the earth, or the common people) whoever does not eat his common food with purity with hands washed; these are the words of R. Meir; but the wise men say, whoever does not tithe his fruit.''

This man would not be thought to be such an one.

f Maimon. Hilch. Sabbat, c. 30. sect. 9. g T. Hieros. Nedarim, fol. 40. 4. h L. 36. c. 2. i Octav. Aug. c. 76. k Maimon. Hilch. Mechosre Caphara, c. 2. sect, 8. l T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 82. 1. Megilla, 31. 1, 2. m Maimon. Hilchot Taaniot, c. 1. sect. 5. n T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 12. 1. o Godwin Moses & Aaron, l. 1. c. 10. Vid. T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 88. 1. p T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 12. 1. q T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 61. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I fast twice ... - This was probably the Jewish custom. The Pharisees are said to have fasted regularly on the second and fifth days of every week in private. This was “in addition” to the public days of fasting required in the law of Moses, and they, therefore, made more a matter of “merit” of it because it was voluntary.

I give tithes - A tithe means the tenth part of a thing. A tenth part of the possessions of the Jews was required for the support of the Levites, Numbers 18:21. In addition to the tithes required strictly by law, the Pharisees had tithed everything which they possessed even the smallest matters - as mint, anise, cummin, etc., Luke 11:42. It was “this,” probably, on which he so particularly prided himself. As this could not be proved to be strictly “required” in the law, it had more the “appearance” of great piety, and, therefore, he particularly dwelt on it.

I possess - This may mean either all which I “have,” or all which I “gain” or acquire. It is not material which meaning be considered the true one.

The religion of the Pharisee, therefore, consisted in:

1.Abstaining from injustice to others; in pretending to live a harmless, innocent, and upright life; and,

2.A regular observance of all the external duties of religion.

His “fault” consisted in relying on this kind of righteousness; in not feeling and acknowledging that he was a sinner; in not seeking a religion that should dwell in the “heart” and regulate the feelings; and in making public and ostentatious professions of his own goodness. Most of all was this abominable in the sight of God, who “looks into the heart,” and who sees wickedness there when the external actions may be blameless. We may learn from the case of the Pharisee:

1. That it is not the man who has the most orthodox belief that has, of course, the most piety;
2. That people may be externally moral, and not be righteous in the sight of God;
3. That they may be very exact in the external duties of religion, and even go beyond the strict letter of the law; that they may assume a great appearance of sanctity, and still be strangers to true piety; and,
4. That ostentation in religion, or a “boasting” before God of what we are and of what we have done, is abominable in his sight. This spoils everything, even if the life “should be” tolerably blameless, and if there should be real piety.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 18:12. I give tithes of all that I possess. — Or, of all I acquire, κτωμαι. Raphelius has well observed, that this verb, in the present tense, signifies to acquire - in the preter, to possess: the Pharisee's meaning seems to be, "As fast as I gain any thing, I give the tenth part of it to the house of God and to the poor." Those who dedicate a certain part of their earnings to the Lord should never let it rest with themselves, lest possession should produce covetousness. This was the Pharisee's righteousness, and the ground on which he builded his hope of final salvation. That the Pharisees had a strong opinion of their own righteousness, the following history will prove:-

"Rabbi Simeon, the son of Jochai, said: The whole world is not worth thirty righteous persons, such as our father Abraham. If there were only thirty righteous persons in the world, I and my son should make two of them; but if there were but twenty, I and my son would be of the number; and if there were but ten, I and my son would be of the number: and if there were but five, I and my son would be of the five; and if there were but two, I and my son would be those two; and if there were but one, myself should be that one." Bereshith Rabba, s. 35, fol. 34. This is a genuine specimen of Pharisaic pride. No wonder that our Lord accused these of pride and vain glory: they were far from humility, and consequently far from righteousness.