But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
- BSB But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
- NKJV But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
- NASB But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.”
- NLT But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
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
Martha, distracted by serving, complains that Mary has left her to work alone. Her anxious busyness blinds her to the better priority.
Overview
Martha's service is well-intentioned but becomes 'distracted' and resentful. She even faults the Lord for not intervening, revealing how anxious activity can crowd out fellowship. Her complaint sets up Jesus' tender correction about the one needful thing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- John 6:27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
- Luke 12:29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
- Matt 14:15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
- Matt 16:22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
- Jonah 4:1–4But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
- Luke 9:55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
- Mark 3:21And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
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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 10:40 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
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