King James Version

What Does Luke 10:29 Mean?

Luke 10:29 in the King James Version says “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” — study this verse from Luke chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”

Luke 10:29 · KJV

Context

27

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead .

31

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Read Luke 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? The phrase thelōn dikaiōsai heauton (θέλων δικαιῶσαι ἑαυτόν, "willing to justify himself") reveals the lawyer's heart. The verb dikaiōsai (δικαιῶσαι) means to declare righteous, vindicate, or prove oneself just. He's not seeking truth—he's seeking self-justification, attempting to prove he has indeed loved his neighbor adequately.

The question who is my neighbour? (tis estin mou plēsion, τίς ἐστίν μου πλησίον) exposes his strategy. If he can limit the definition of "neighbor" to a narrow category (fellow Jews, righteous people, those who deserve help), he can claim compliance. Contemporary Jewish debate indeed restricted "neighbor" from Leviticus 19:18 to fellow Israelites, excluding Gentiles and especially Samaritans. The lawyer seeks to draw boundaries that make his love sufficient.

But Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (vv. 30-37) demolishes this self-justification. First, Jesus reframes the question from "Who qualifies as my neighbor?" to "Who acted neighborly?"—shifting focus from limiting obligation to demonstrating love. Second, making the Samaritan the hero and the priest and Levite the failures reverses all expectations and condemns the lawyer's own class. Third, Jesus' final command, "Go, and do thou likewise" (v. 37), drives home the impossibility of perfect love and thus the need for grace. Every attempt at self-justification exposes our need for a Savior who fulfills righteousness on our behalf.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The lawyer's question reflects deep-seated Jewish-Samaritan hostility dating to the Assyrian exile (722 BC) when foreigners intermarried with remaining Israelites, creating a mixed race Jews considered apostate. By the first century, Jews and Samaritans had separate temples (until Rome destroyed the Samaritan temple in 128 BC), competing Scriptures (Samaritans accepted only the Pentateuch), and mutual contempt. Jews traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem would often cross the Jordan to avoid Samaritan territory. This context makes Jesus' choice of a Samaritan as moral exemplar deliberately shocking and offensive to Jewish sensibilities.

Reflection Questions

  1. What modern equivalents exist to the lawyer's attempt to limit 'neighbor' to make his love seem adequate?
  2. How does the desire to justify ourselves reveal we don't truly understand the law's perfect standard or our own sinfulness?
  3. Why does self-justification always lead to minimizing God's commands and maximizing our own performance?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 14 words
ὁ1 of 14
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

δὲ2 of 14

“But”

G1161

but, and, etc

θέλων3 of 14

“he willing”

G2309

to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas g1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations),

δικαιοῦν4 of 14

“to justify”

G1344

to render (i.e., show or regard as) just or innocent

ἑαυτὸν5 of 14

“himself”

G1438

(him- her-, it-, them-, my-, thy-, our-, your-)self (selves), etc

εἶπεν6 of 14

“said”

G2036

to speak or say (by word or writing)

πρὸς7 of 14

“unto”

G4314

a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,

τὸν8 of 14
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

Ἰησοῦν9 of 14

“Jesus”

G2424

jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites

Καὶ10 of 14

“And”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

τίς11 of 14

“who”

G5101

an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)

ἐστίν12 of 14

“is”

G2076

he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are

μου13 of 14

“my”

G3450

of me

πλησίον14 of 14

“neighbour”

G4139

(adverbially) close by; as noun, a neighbor, i.e., fellow (as man, countryman, christian or friend)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 10:29 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 10:29 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Luke 16:15Leviticus 19:34Galatians 3:11Luke 18:9-11Romans 10:3Romans 4:2

Test Your Knowledge

Luke 10 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterLuke Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Luke 10 with CommentaryAll Luke ChaptersComplete Luke QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes