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Luke 4:26
ESV and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
NIV Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.
NASB and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
CSB Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them except a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
NLT Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner — a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
KJV But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
NKJV but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

What does Luke 4:26 mean?

This completes one of Jesus' examples, begun in the prior verse (Luke 4:25). His childhood neighbors struggle to accept that He could really be the Anointed One of Isaiah's prophecy (Luke 4:16–22). Jesus is pointing out that when God's people stubbornly refuse belief, God may send His messengers to those outside of Israel.

The first example is that of Elijah: during a severe drought, God sent Elijah outside of Israel to perform miracles (1 Kings 17:14–16; 22–24). These occurred in the home of a widow, who was quite possibly a Gentile: a non-Jewish person. Elijah's return to Israel and the end of the drought was miraculous, but the miracle was done to counter the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20–40), who were then killed.

The second example Jesus mentions is that of Elisha and Naaman (2 Kings 5:1–14). Not only was Naaman a Gentile, but he was also commander of the army which had subjugated Israel. Yet God chose to heal Naaman, and not an Israelite, of leprosy (Luke 4:27). Both examples counter the assumption that a true prophet of God is obligated to perform miracles for his own, stubborn people (Luke 4:23).
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