Luke 17:1-37 King James Bible KJV

Forgiveness and Stumbling Blocks, The Power of Faith, Parable of the Unworthy Servant, The Healing of the 10 Lepers, The Coming of the Kingdom of God

Luke Chapter 17:1-37 King James Bible KJV. Luke Chapter 17 covers a variety of teachings from Jesus, focusing on themes such as forgiveness, faith, duty, gratitude, and the coming of God’s kingdom. This chapter also emphasizes the need for a life of faith, service, and readiness, reminding believers to be vigilant, humble, and grateful as they anticipate the return of Christ.

• Forgiveness and Accountability: Jesus calls His disciples to forgive generously and live in a way that does not cause others to stumble.
• Faith in Action: Even a small amount of faith can accomplish great things, but faith should always be accompanied by humility and service.
• Gratitude: Recognizing God’s blessings and responding with thankfulness is a key mark of faith.
• The Kingdom of God: Jesus speaks of the kingdom as both a present reality and a future hope, urging His followers to be spiritually ready for His return.
• Living with Eternal Perspective: Jesus stresses the importance of living in a way that reflects readiness for the future kingdom and the suddenness of His return.

Luke 17:1-37 King James Bible KJV
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Teaching on Forgiveness and Stumbling Blocks – verses 1–4
Jesus begins by warning His disciples that offenses and temptations to sin (stumbling blocks) are inevitable in life, but woe to the person through whom they come. He says it would be better for such a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the sea than to cause a little one (a believer or a vulnerable person) to sin. He then instructs His disciples to rebuke someone who sins and to forgive them if they repent. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and repent each time, you are to forgive them.

• Responsibility for Others: Jesus stresses the importance of not leading others into sin. Believers have a responsibility to live righteously and help others do the same.
• Limitless Forgiveness: Jesus calls His followers to forgive repeatedly, reflecting the boundless mercy that God shows toward us. The idea is not about keeping count but about having a forgiving heart.

The Power of Faith – verses 5–6
The apostles, realizing the difficulty of continually forgiving, ask Jesus to increase their faith. In response, Jesus tells them that even faith as small as a mustard seed can uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea.

• Faith’s Potential: Jesus emphasizes that it’s not the quantity of faith that matters but its quality and trust in God. Even a small amount of genuine faith can achieve great things, as it relies on God’s power, not human strength.

The Parable of the Unworthy Servant – verses 7–10
Jesus then gives a parable about a servant who, after working all day, comes home and continues to serve his master without expecting special thanks or rewards. He compares this to the attitude His followers should have. After doing all that God commands, they should say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”

• Humility in Service: Jesus teaches that serving God should be done humbly, without expecting accolades or praise. We serve God out of duty, recognizing that we can never earn His favor; everything we do is our reasonable service.
• Obedience and Grace: This passage underscores that no matter how much we do for God, it pales in comparison to what God has done for us. Salvation and God’s blessings are not earned but are gifts of grace.

The Healing of the Ten Lepers – verses 11–19
As Jesus travels to Jerusalem, He encounters ten men with leprosy. They stand at a distance and cry out for mercy. Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests (the customary procedure for confirming healing). As they go, they are healed. However, only one of them, a Samaritan, returns to thank Jesus and praise God. Jesus expresses surprise that only one returned to give thanks and points out that it was the foreigner who did so.

• Gratitude: This story highlights the importance of gratitude. Though all ten were healed, only one returned to give thanks. Jesus commends the one who expressed his thankfulness, teaching that faith and gratitude go hand in hand.
• Inclusiveness of God’s Grace: The one who returned was a Samaritan, which is significant because Jews and Samaritans were historically divided. This shows that God’s grace is extended to all, regardless of ethnic or social barriers.
• Faith as Salvation: Jesus tells the grateful man that his faith has made him well (literally “saved” him), indicating that his response of faith and gratitude brought him into a deeper relationship with God, beyond physical healing.

The Coming of the Kingdom of God – verses 20–37
The Pharisees ask Jesus when the kingdom of God will come. Jesus replies that the kingdom is not something that can be observed externally (“here it is” or “there it is”), because the kingdom of God is within or among them (depending on the translation). He then turns to His disciples and speaks about the coming of the Son of Man (His second coming). He warns that the days will come when people will long for the coming of the Son of Man but won’t see it. He compares His return to lightning that lights up the sky—sudden and visible to all. Jesus also references the days of Noah and Lot, saying that people were going about their everyday lives when sudden judgment came upon them. He warns His disciples to be ready and not to be overly attached to the things of this world, like Lot’s wife who looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.

• The Kingdom is Present and Future: Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God is already present among them (in the person and ministry of Jesus), but there is also a future aspect to it that will be fully realized at His second coming.
• Readiness for Christ’s Return: The suddenness of the Son of Man’s return is a key point. People must be spiritually alert and ready, not distracted by worldly pursuits.
• Judgment and Salvation: The references to Noah and Lot serve as warnings. Just as sudden judgment came in their times, so too will the judgment come at the return of Christ. Jesus calls His followers to live with a sense of urgency and preparedness.

Luke 17:1-37 King James Bible KJV

1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.