but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.
Parallel translations
- KJV But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
- BSB But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.
- NKJV But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
- NASB but the one who did not know it, and committed acts deserving of a beating, will receive only a few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
- NLT But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
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
The one who sinned in ignorance receives fewer stripes, for to whom much is given, much is required. God judges justly, in proportion to what each was given.
Overview
Jesus affirms that judgment is measured according to the light and trust one has received. Those given greater knowledge, gifts, or opportunity bear greater accountability for their use. This establishes a principle of just, proportionate judgment and calls every believer to faithful stewardship of all God has entrusted to them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Jas 3:1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
- Lev 5:17“If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn’t know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
- Luke 16:10–12He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
- Matt 25:14–29“For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
- Matt 13:12For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- 1 Tim 1:13although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- Rom 2:12–16For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
- 1 Tim 1:11according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
- Acts 17:30The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
- 1 Tim 6:20Timothy, guard that which is committed to you, turning away from the empty chatter and oppositions of what is falsely called knowledge;
- Luke 16:2He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
- Num 15:29–30You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them.
- Gen 39:8–23But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, my master doesn’t know what is with me in the house, and he has put all that he has into my hand.
- Titus 1:3but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;
- 1 Cor 9:17–18For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:48 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.