Luke 13:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

NIV: I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

NASB: No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

CSB: No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.

NLT: Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

KJV: I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

NKJV: I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Jesus has just finished telling His audience that if they have wronged another person, they need to reconcile before the dispute reaches the court. It's far better to admit you're wrong and pay what you owe than it is to risk the magistrate declaring you guilty and sending you to prison (Luke 12:57–59). Now, people from a crowd listening to Jesus spread news: Pilate has slaughtered some Galileans who had gone to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. Jesus gives a hard truth: they did not deserve this violence and it could happen to anyone (Luke 13:1–2).

Jesus compares the fate of the Galileans to the eternal fate of anyone who wrongs God and does not repent. The Galileans died physically because they were not reconciled to Pilate; in a similar way, anyone who dies without being reconciled to God will die spiritually. They will spend eternity in hell—a far greater punishment than prison and fines.

The concept of "repentance" is sometimes difficult to grasp. Literally, it means "to change one's mind." It means to acknowledge you did something wrong, agree you need to not do it again, and endeavor to stop doing it. There are two different spheres of repentance. The most important is repentance that leads to salvation. We need to admit that we are sinners, admit we have wronged God, ask for His forgiveness, and agree that we need to change our actions. The second is relational repentance. We admit that a specific action is wrong and we need to quit doing it; this is not necessary for salvation, but it restores our fellowship with God. Sometimes we need to repent many times for the same sin.

Some scholars think Jesus' address is directed the Jews as a nation and "perish" refers to the violent destruction of Judea in AD 70. There's no solid indication this is so. Jesus is telling the individuals in the crowd that they need to repent. The next section, Luke 13:6–9, more specifically refers to the nation of Israel.

Luke 13:1–5 expounds upon the lesson Jesus has just taught. In Luke 12:57–59, Jesus told the crowd to reconcile with other people they have wronged. Now, Jesus contextualizes real-world tragedies to point out that being "good" won't protect people from physical death. However, repentance to God will protect from eternal death. Next, Jesus will apply the same lesson to Israel as a nation. These are the last passages of a section comparing living for the world with living for the kingdom of God (Luke 12:1—13:9).

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.