Luke 7:23 (KJV)

What does Luke 7:23 mean?

In Luke 7:23, Jesus says that a person is blessed if they do not turn away from him because of what they encounter in him. His words address the possibility that people may find his actions or his way of answering difficult to accept.

Jesus speaks these words to messengers sent by John the Baptist, who had asked whether Jesus was the one to come. After pointing to what the messengers have seen and heard, Jesus adds this statement before they leave.

The Greek behind Luke 7:23

• “offended” — σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō): The Greek word can carry the sense of being tripped up or led to turn away. Here, the KJV’s “offended” means more than having hurt feelings; Jesus speaks of someone who might stumble over him.
• “blessed” — μακάριος (makarios): This word describes someone who is fortunate or in a good position. Jesus presents not stumbling over him as a mark of such a person.

Why Luke 7:23 matters

• Jesus gives his statement after pointing to his actions, not as a separate answer. In Luke 7:22, he tells the messengers to report that blind people see, people who could not walk do so, and poor people hear good news.
• The words reach beyond the messengers. Although Jesus speaks to John’s representatives, “whosoever” makes the statement about anyone who is not offended in him.
• The focus is on the response to Jesus himself. The phrase “in me” makes Jesus, rather than the messengers or the crowds, the person over whom someone might stumble.