Luke 13:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

NIV: "But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

NASB: And yet He will say, ‘I do not know where you are from; LEAVE ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’

CSB: But he will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from me, all you evildoers!’

NLT: And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

KJV: But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

NKJV: But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’

Jesus is explaining that although God is patient (2 Peter 3:9), the time to reconcile with Him is not infinite (Luke 13:1–9). And what is required for reconciliation isn't the same as cultural friendship. It doesn't just mean eating together, which is a significant sign of fellowship in the Middle East. It doesn't mean listening to Jesus' teachings or even performing works in His name (Matthew 7:22).

Reconciliation means repentance, knowing Christ, and being known by Him. Whether we die or are raptured, when we arrive in paradise, it means we come from a position of being a child of God (John 1:12). It means we don't belong to the world but to God (John 15:19).

Even more shockingly for the Jews, it doesn't have anything to do with physical descent from Abraham, not does it have to do with honoring the Mosaic law. It always means coming from a place of repentance (Luke 13:5), trust in Jesus (John 11:25), and grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). Someone can appear and act as if they come from God's family but really have Satan as their father and origin (Luke 11:26; Matthew 7:22; John 8:44).

There's a pattern of separation and sameness in the last few stories. People from the same family will be separated (Luke 12:51–53). People are vulnerable to the same tragedies (Luke 13:1–5). Some people will go through the narrow door and will enter rest, and some won't (Luke 13:24). The difference isn't nationality (Luke 13:28–29), sinfulness, or even adherence to the rules given in the Bible. It's about identification with Christ through repentance. The time to repent and take this identity is short, and a second chance will not be given after death.

Luke 13:22–30 records another of Jesus' teachings about the kingdom and salvation. In the previous pericope, He explained that the kingdom of God is close, easily accessible, and inevitable (Luke 13:18–21). Here, He explains that, although close, the way into the kingdom is very narrow. Many will think they have entered when they haven't. In the final story of this group, Jesus will mourn the Jews who should know to pass through the narrow door but refuse. Matthew includes similar lessons in several distinct teachings (Matthew 7:13–14, 22–23; 8:11–12; 19:30; 20:16; 25:10–12, 41).

Jesus uses real-world examples to show that tragedy and death can come to anyone, even the righteous. No one should delay in reconciling to God; time is running out. Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, triggering an angry response. Jesus scolds the synagogue leader, then preaches about the inevitable spread of the gospel around the entire world. However, He also notes that most people will reject this message, including the people of Israel.

Luke 9:51—19:27 is sometimes called "Jesus' Travelogue to Jerusalem." The segment describes how Jesus prepared the disciples for their future as He approached His own death and resurrection. Interspersed are a few altercations with religious leaders. There are calls for the crowd to repent of their sins and reconcile with God before it's too late. In Luke 13, two stories in particular reveal Jesus' heart. In one, He heals a long-suffering woman on the Sabbath; healing is a type of rest. In the last, He mourns the fact that, for now, the Jews as a nation will reject their Messiah.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.