And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

LUKE 10:30KJV
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Luke 10:30 (KJV)

What does Luke 10:30 mean?

Luke 10:30 describes Jesus telling a story about a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho who is attacked by thieves, robbed of his clothes, beaten, and left nearly dead. This sets the stage for a lesson about compassion and neighborliness in response to a question about who counts as a "neighbor."

Jesus is speaking to a lawyer who asked him, "Who is my neighbor?" Instead of giving a direct answer, Jesus begins this parable. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was known to be dangerous and steep, making the man's vulnerability realistic to Jesus' listeners. The verse introduces the crisis that will reveal the character of those who encounter the wounded man.

The Greek behind Luke 10:30

  • ἄνθρωπός (anthrōpos, G444): This word means "man" or "person" and is often used in Greek to refer to any human being, not just a specific individual. Jesus intentionally leaves the man unnamed and generic, emphasizing that the story could apply to anyone.
  • λῃσταῖς (lēstais, G3027): This word means "robbers" or "bandits," and it refers to violent thieves rather than petty criminals. The use of this term highlights the seriousness of the attack and the danger of the road.
  • ἡμιθανῆ (hēmithanē, G2253): This word means "half dead." It is a strong term that shows the man is in a desperate, life-threatening condition, not just mildly injured.

Why Luke 10:30 matters

  • Luke 10:30 clarifies that Jesus' story is about an ordinary, unnamed person, making the lesson about neighborly love universal rather than limited to a specific group.
  • The verse emphasizes the real danger and vulnerability of the man, setting up the importance of the responses from those who pass by.
  • Understanding the context of the road and the severity of the attack helps readers grasp why the actions of the next characters in the story are so significant.

Where else these words appear

“among” Greek G4045 · used in 3 verses

  • Acts 27:41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
  • James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

“answering” Greek G5274 · used in 4 verses

  • Luke 7:43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
  • Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
  • Acts 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

“stripped” Greek G1562 · used in 5 verses

  • Matthew 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
  • Matthew 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
  • Mark 15:20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

“Jericho” Greek G2410 · used in 6 verses

  • Matthew 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
  • Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
  • Luke 19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.