31In that very hour some Pharisees came near, saying to him, "Go out and travel from here, because Herod wishes to kill you." [13:32] And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I am completed.' [13:33] Yet it is absolutely necessary for me to travel today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem. [13:34] Jerusalem, Jerusalem — the one killing the prophets and stoning those sent to her — how many times I desired to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her own brood under the wings, and you did not desire it. [13:35] Behold, your house is abandoned to you. And Jesus said to them: I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord.'"
LUK 13:31-35
Lament over Jerusalem
In the world it was spoken into
In the first century, Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, was known for his political cunning and ruthless suppression of perceived threats to his rule. His nickname 'fox' would have been understood as a critique of his deceptive and predatory nature, rather than a neutral descriptor. Jesus' response to the Pharisees' warning reflects a deliberate defiance of Herod's authority, emphasizing His commitment to His mission as divinely ordained . The mention of Jerusalem as the place where prophets perish aligns with Jewish tradition, which held Jerusalem as both the center of religious authority and the site of prophetic martyrdom. The lament over Jerusalem evokes the city's history of rejecting God's messengers, framing its impending judgment as a tragic but inevitable consequence of its persistent disobedience. The image of a hen gathering her brood under her wings draws on a common maternal metaphor, highlighting Jesus' desire to protect and gather Jerusalem's inhabitants, despite their resistance.
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How other translations render this
LUK 13:31
- KJV
- The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
- BSB
- At that very hour, some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him, “Leave this place and get away, because Herod wants to kill You.”
- Koinōnos
- In that very hour some Pharisees came near, saying to him, "Go out and travel from here, because Herod wishes to kill you.
LUK 13:32
- KJV
- And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
- BSB
- But Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I will keep driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal.’
- Koinōnos
- And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I am completed.
LUK 13:33
- KJV
- Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
- BSB
- Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.
- Koinōnos
- Yet it is absolutely necessary for me to travel today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem.
LUK 13:34
- KJV
- O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
- BSB
- O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Koinōnos
- Jerusalem, Jerusalem — the one killing the prophets and stoning those sent to her — how many times I desired to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her own brood under the wings, and you did not desire it.
LUK 13:35
- KJV
- Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
- BSB
- Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
- Koinōnos
- Behold, your house is abandoned to you. And Jesus said to them: I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord.'
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
LUK 13:32
- fox:The term translated 'fox' here was often used metaphorically in the ancient world to describe a cunning, sly, or insignificant person, rather than literally referring to the animal.
LUK 13:33
- it behooves:The word translated 'it behooves' carries a strong sense of necessity or obligation, indicating something that is absolutely required or destined to happen.
- to perish:The word translated 'to perish' can mean to be utterly destroyed or to lose one's life, but it also carries the sense of being lost or ruined, often with an implication of eternal consequence.
LUK 13:35
- house:The word translated 'house' could refer to a physical dwelling, but also to a household, family, or even a lineage, implying a broader sense of belonging and identity.