For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

LUKE 9:56KJV
Know the Bible

Luke 9:56 (KJV)

What does Luke 9:56 mean?

Luke 9:56 says that Jesus, calling himself the "Son of man," did not come to destroy people's lives but to save them, and then he and his followers moved on to another village. This verse shows Jesus' purpose was to bring rescue and life, not judgment or harm.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to his disciples after they suggested calling down fire on a Samaritan village that had rejected him. Jesus corrects their thinking, making it clear that his mission is about saving, not punishing. The verse highlights Jesus' compassion and the difference between his approach and the expectations of others around him.

The Greek behind Luke 9:56

  • "destroy" (ἀπόλλυμι, apollymi): This word means to ruin or kill completely. Jesus’ use of it here emphasizes that his mission is not about bringing destruction, even to those who reject him.
  • "save" (σῴζω, sōzō): This word means to rescue, heal, or make whole. Jesus contrasts saving with destroying, underlining that his purpose is to bring life and restoration.
  • "lives" (ψυχή, psychē): This word can mean "life" or "soul." Here, it points to the whole person, not just physical life, showing the depth of what Jesus wants to preserve.

Why Luke 9:56 matters

  • Luke 9:56 corrects the idea that Jesus came to punish those who oppose him; instead, it stresses his focus on mercy and salvation.
  • This verse helps explain why Jesus often responded to rejection with patience rather than anger, shaping how his followers should treat others.
  • It connects to the broader theme in Luke’s Gospel of Jesus reaching out to outsiders and showing unexpected grace, even when he is not welcomed.

Where else these words appear

“village” Greek G2968 · used in 27 verses

  • Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
  • Mark 8:26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
  • Luke 13:22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

“destroy” Greek G622 · used in 86 verses

  • Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
  • Luke 5:37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
  • John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

“another” Greek G2087 · used in 94 verses

  • Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
  • Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
  • Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“lives” Greek G5590 · used in 95 verses

  • Matthew 2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
  • John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
  • 2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.