Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.

LUKE 18:31KJV
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Luke 18:31 (KJV)

What does Luke 18:31 mean?

Luke 18:31 describes Jesus taking his twelve disciples aside and telling them that they are going up to Jerusalem, where everything written by the prophets about the “Son of man” will be fulfilled. Jesus is preparing his closest followers for events that are about to happen, emphasizing that these events are part of God’s long-promised plan.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking directly to the twelve disciples as they travel toward Jerusalem. He refers to himself as the “Son of man,” a title with roots in the Hebrew Scriptures, and points out that what is about to happen has already been foretold by the prophets. This moment sets the stage for the coming events of Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection, showing that these are not surprises but fulfillments of prophecy.

The Greek behind Luke 18:31

  • “Ἰδοὺ” (idou, “Behold”): This word is used to get the disciples’ attention, highlighting the importance of what Jesus is about to say. It signals that something significant is about to be revealed.
  • “ἀναβαίνομεν” (anabainomen, “we go up”): The Greek word here literally means “to go up,” which fits Jerusalem’s physical elevation but also hints at the spiritual significance of the journey.
  • “υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου” (huios tou anthrōpou, “Son of man”): This phrase is often understood as a reference to the figure in Daniel 7:13, connecting Jesus to Old Testament prophecy and emphasizing both his humanity and his special role.
  • “τελεσθήσεται” (telesthēsetai, “shall be accomplished”): This word carries the sense of something being brought to completion or fulfillment, underlining that the coming events are the completion of what the prophets wrote.

Why Luke 18:31 matters

  • Luke 18:31 clarifies that Jesus’s suffering and death in Jerusalem are not accidents or unexpected tragedies, but fulfillments of what was written by the prophets, showing God’s plan at work.
  • The verse highlights Jesus’s awareness and acceptance of what is coming, which sets him apart from his disciples, who often do not understand until after the events take place.
  • By connecting the coming events to prophecy, Luke 18:31 ties Jesus’s story to the larger story of Israel and the Hebrew Scriptures, helping readers see continuity between the Old and New Testaments.

Where else these words appear

“accomplished” Greek G5055 · used in 26 verses

  • Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
  • Luke 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
  • James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

“took” Greek G3880 · used in 50 verses

  • Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
  • Mark 4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
  • Acts 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

“twelve” Greek G1427 · used in 59 verses

  • Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
  • Mark 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
  • John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

“Jerusalem” Greek G2414 · used in 59 verses

  • Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
  • Mark 15:41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
  • Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: