Luke 13:5 - 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: No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.'

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 repeats His warning. He is teaching a crowd about priorities in life. He began with a parable about a rich farmer who reaped such a great harvest he could retire. He died that night, however. In death, he had no use for his barns filled with grain and he had not poured any effort into his relationship with God. He valued meaningless, earthly treasure at the expense of his eternal soul (Luke 12:15–21).

Later, Jesus taught about human reconciliation. He told the crowd that if they were accused of a crime and headed to the magistrate, they should reconcile with their accuser quickly. It is far better to humble yourself and admit you did wrong than to be declared guilty and face prison and a large fine (Luke 12:57–59).

As Jesus finished that lesson, news spread that Pilate had murdered Galileans who had gone to Jerusalem to sacrifice at the temple. Jesus tells the crowd that these people did not die because of their sin. They were no greater sinners than anyone else in Galilee. He then reminds them of the time a tower at a reservoir in Jerusalem collapsed, killing eighteen. These victims didn't deserve their fate, either (Luke 13:1–4).

Jesus' point is that death comes to everyone, and sometimes that death is sudden and unfair. This is a further reason people need to repent of their sins and reconcile with God now. The message is the same to us. We have a limited amount of time on earth and we don't know when it will end (James 4:14; 2 Corinthians 6:2). Not everyone gets the chance to have a "deathbed conversion." It's far better to take advantage of the time we have, confess our sins, accept Jesus as our savior, and ensure we will live for eternity in paradise with God.

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.