And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

LUKE 22:14KJV
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Luke 22:14 (KJV)

What does Luke 22:14 mean?

Luke 22:14 describes the moment when Jesus and his twelve apostles gather together at the appointed time to share a meal, which is known as the Last Supper. The verse sets the scene for an important event where Jesus will speak openly with his closest followers before his arrest.

The setting is a private room in Jerusalem, and Jesus is speaking to his twelve chosen apostles. This meal takes place during the Jewish festival of Passover. The verse highlights the deliberate timing ("when the hour was come") and the presence of all twelve apostles, signaling the importance and intimacy of what is about to happen.

The Greek behind Luke 22:14

  • ὥρα (hōra, "hour"): This word often means a specific, appointed time. Here, it emphasizes that what is about to happen is not random, but planned and significant.
  • ἀπόστολοι (apostoloi, "apostles"): The Greek term means "sent ones" or "messengers." Luke uses this word to highlight the special role of these twelve men as Jesus' chosen representatives.
  • συν (syn, "with"): This word stresses the togetherness of Jesus and the apostles, underlining the unity and shared experience of this moment.

Why Luke 22:14 matters

  • Luke 22:14 makes it clear that the Last Supper was not a casual meal, but a carefully chosen moment with all twelve apostles present, setting the stage for the important teachings and actions that follow.
  • The verse helps readers see that Jesus was in control of the timing and setting, emphasizing the purposeful nature of the events leading up to his crucifixion.
  • This gathering marks the beginning of the events that Christians remember as the institution of the Lord’s Supper or Communion, connecting the verse to a central practice in many Christian traditions.

Where else these words appear

“down” Greek G377 · used in 10 verses

  • Matthew 15:35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
  • Luke 11:37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
  • John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

“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.

“apostles” Greek G652 · used in 80 verses

  • Matthew 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
  • Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
  • 2 Corinthians 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

“hour” Greek G5610 · used in 100 verses

  • Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
  • Luke 2:38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
  • John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.