Luke 10:31 (KJV)

What does Luke 10:31 mean?

Luke 10:31 describes how a priest, traveling along the same road where a wounded man lay, saw the man but chose to pass by on the opposite side rather than help. The verse highlights the priest’s deliberate avoidance, setting up a contrast for the story Jesus is telling.

In this part of Jesus’ parable, He is speaking to a Jewish legal expert and a listening crowd. The setting is a dangerous road between Jerusalem and Jericho, known for robberies. The priest’s action is meant to be surprising, as priests were respected religious leaders expected to show compassion, but here he does not stop to help the injured man.

The Greek behind Luke 10:31

• The word for "by chance" (συγκυρία, synkyria) suggests the priest’s arrival was not planned, emphasizing the randomness of the encounter and that the priest had no prior reason to avoid the situation.
• The word for "priest" (ἱερεύς, hiereus) refers specifically to someone who served in the temple, underlining that this was a person with religious authority and responsibility.
• The phrase "passed by on the other side" (ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, antiparēlthen) means the priest went out of his way to avoid the man, not just ignoring him but actively choosing to keep his distance.

Why Luke 10:31 matters

• Luke 10:31 challenges assumptions about who is expected to show mercy, especially since the priest, a symbol of religious duty, does not help.
• The verse sets up the contrast for the actions of others in the parable, preparing the reader for the surprising behavior of the Samaritan later in the story.
• This detail helps clarify that compassion is not guaranteed by status or role, but is a personal choice, which is a central theme in Jesus’ teaching here.