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Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luke 10:38 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
  • BSB As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
  • NKJV Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
  • NASB Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
  • NLT As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus is welcomed into the home of Martha in a certain village. The setting introduces a lesson on devotion to Christ.

Overview

Luke moves from a parable about active mercy to a scene about attentive devotion, holding both in balance. Martha's hospitality is commendable, and her home becomes a place of fellowship with Jesus. The episode will gently correct the priority of service over communion with the Lord.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 6

  • John 11:19–20And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
  • John 12:1–3Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
  • John 11:1–5Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
  • Luke 8:2–3And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
  • Acts 16:15And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
  • 2 Jn 1:10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 10:38YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 10:38 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.