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The NET Bible®

Luke 10:31

Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflicted;   Commandments;   Duty;   Hypocrisy;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Lawyer;   Love;   Neighbor;   Priest;   Readings, Select;   Self-Righteousness;   Scofield Reference Index - Day (of Judgment);   Parables;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Heartlessness;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Selfishness;   Selfishness-Unselfishness;   Stories for Children;   The Topic Concordance - Deeds;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Highways;   Parables;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Adummim;   Jericho;   Parable;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Justice;   Levite;   Luke, gospel of;   Mercy;   Neighbour;   Samaria, samaritans;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Clean, Unclean;   Ethics;   Friend, Friendship;   Golden Rule;   Hospitality;   Law of Christ;   Levite;   Love;   Mercy;   Neighbor;   Priest, Christ as;   Wealth;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Mercy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Adummim;   Chance;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Hospitality;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Adummim;   Brotherly Love;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   Life;   Luke, Gospel of;   Neighbor;   Parables;   Samaria, Samaritans;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the New Testament;   Ethics;   Law;   Martha;   Mary;   Parable;   Pity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Character;   City;   Commandments;   Discourse;   Heart;   Justice (2);   Law of God;   Levites;   Love (2);   Luke, Gospel According to;   Man (2);   Money (2);   Neighbour (2);   New Commandment;   Parable;   Priest (2);   Property (2);   Religious Experience;   Samaria ;   Samaria, Samaritans;   Samaritan, the Good ;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Saying and Doing;   Spiritualizing of the Parables;   Temple (2);   Toleration, Tolerance;   Trade and Commerce;   Trinity (2);   Wealth (2);   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adummim;   Bethsaida;   Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Adum'mim;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Priest;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Pharisees;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chance;   Compassion;   Jesus Christ (Part 2 of 2);   Law in the New Testament;   Neighbor;   Righteousness;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Brotherly Love;   Jesus of Nazareth;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 19;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
King James Version (1611)
And by chaunce there came downe a certaine Priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
King James Version
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
English Standard Version
Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
New American Standard Bible
"And by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
New Century Version
It happened that a priest was going down that road. When he saw the man, he walked by on the other side.
Amplified Bible
"Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Legacy Standard Bible
And a priest happened to be going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Berean Standard Bible
Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Contemporary English Version
A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side.
Complete Jewish Bible
By coincidence, a cohen was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Darby Translation
And a certain priest happened to go down that way, and seeing him, passed on on the opposite side;
Easy-to-Read Version
"It happened that a Jewish priest was going down that road. When he saw the man, he did not stop to help him. He walked away.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe so it fell out, that there came downe a certaine Priest that same way, and when he sawe him, he passed by on the other side.
George Lamsa Translation
And it chanced a priest was going down that road; and he saw him and passed on.
Good News Translation
It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side.
Lexham English Bible
Now by coincidence a certain priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Literal Translation
But by a coincidence, a certain priest was going on that road; and seeing him, he passed on the opposite side .
American Standard Version
And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Bible in Basic English
And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he went by on the other side.
Hebrew Names Version
By chance a certain Kohen was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
International Standard Version
By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man,him
">[fn] he went by on the other side.Psalm 38:11;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And a certain priest happened to go down by that way, and he saw him and passed over.
Murdock Translation
And a certain priest went down by that way; and he saw him, and passed on.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And it befell, that there came downe a certayne priest that same way, and whe he sawe hym, he passed by on the other syde.
English Revised Version
And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
World English Bible
By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And it came to pass that a certain priest came down that way, and seeing him, passed by on the other side.
Weymouth's New Testament
Now a priest happened to be going down that way, and on seeing him passed by on the other side.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it bifel, that a prest cam doun the same weie, and passide forth, whanne he hadde seyn hym.
Update Bible Version
And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Webster's Bible Translation
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
New King James Version
Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
New Living Translation
"By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
New Life Bible
A religious leader was walking down that road and saw the man. But he went by on the other side.
New Revised Standard
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, by chance, a certain priest, was coming down by that road, and, seeing him, passed by, on the opposite side.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by.
Revised Standard Version
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And by chaunce ther came a certayne preste that same waye and when he sawe him he passed by.
Young's Literal Translation
`And by a coincidence a certain priest was going down in that way, and having seen him, he passed over on the opposite side;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And by chauce there came downe a prest the same waye: and whan he sawe him, he passed by.
Mace New Testament (1729)
a certain priest happen'd to be travelling that way, who look'd upon him, and then pass'd on.
Simplified Cowboy Version
"Then a Jewish preacher rode by and saw the plight of the man and instead of helping him, he just side passed his pony to the other side of the trail and rode on.

Contextual Overview

25 Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you understand it?" 27 The expert answered, " Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind , and love your neighbor as yourself ." 28 Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." 29 But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. 32 So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

by: Ruth 2:3, *marg. 2 Samuel 1:6, Ecclesiastes 9:11

priest: Jeremiah 5:31, Hosea 5:1, Hosea 6:9, Malachi 1:10

he passed: Job 6:14-21, Psalms 38:10, Psalms 38:11, Psalms 69:20, Psalms 142:4, Proverbs 21:13, Proverbs 24:11, Proverbs 24:12, James 2:13-16, 1 John 3:16-18

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 22:1 - hide thyself 1 Samuel 6:9 - a chance Mark 11:13 - haply

Cross-References

Genesis 10:5
From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
Genesis 10:20
These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.
Acts 17:26
From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way,.... Who had been at Jerusalem, to take his turn in the courses, and was now returning to Jericho, where the stationary men were, to which he belonged: for it is said t, that

"the former prophets appointed twenty and four courses; and for every course there was a station at Jerusalem, of priests, and of Levites, and of Israelites; and when the time of the course came to go up, the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem. The Rabbins teach, that there were twenty four courses in the land of Israel, and there were twelve at Jericho.''

And which is elsewhere u related thus;

"the former prophets appointed four and twenty courses, and for every course there was a station at Jerusalem, of priests, of Levites, and of Israelites; the tradition is, that four and twenty thousand were the station from Jerusalem, and half a station from Jericho; though Jericho was able to furnish out a perfect station itself; but for the sake of dividing the glory to Jerusalem, it produced but half a station.''

So that it is no wonder to hear of priests and Levites passing to and fro in this road. Nor was this a chance matter with respect to God, by whose providence all things are ordered, directed, and governed; nor any wonderful thing with respect to men, which fell out in an uncommon way, beyond expectation; the phrase only signifies, that so it came to pass:

and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side: when he saw him naked, and in such a bloody condition, he might take him for one really dead, and therefore crossed the way on purpose, lest he should any ways touch him, and be defiled by him, and so break the law, and incur the penalty of it, mentioned in Numbers 19:16 or to shun so horrible a sight; or rather, through hardness of heart, and want of compassion.

t T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 1. u T. Hieros. Pesachim, fol. 30. 3. & Taanith, fol. 67. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

By chance - Accidentally, or as it happened. It means that he did not do it with a “design” to aid the man that was wounded.

A certain priest - It is said that not less than 12,000 priests and Levites dwelt at Jericho; and as their business was at Jerusalem, of course there would be many of them constantly traveling on that road.

When he saw him - He saw him lie, but came not near him.

Passed by on the other side - On the farther side of the way. Did not turn out of his course even to come and see him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 10:31. And by chance — κατα συγκυριαν properly means the coincidence of time and circumstance. At the time in which the poor Jew was half dead, through the wounds which he had received, a priest came where he was. So the priest's coming while the man was in that state is the coincidence marked out by the original words.

Verses Luke 10:31-32. Priest and Levite are mentioned here, partly because they were the most frequent travellers on this road, and partly to show that these were the persons who, from the nature of their office, were most obliged to perform works of mercy; and from whom a person in distress had a right to expect immediate succour and comfort; and their inhuman conduct here was a flat breach of the law, Deuteronomy 22:1-4.


 
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