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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- 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 3:1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
- Lev 5:17And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
- Luke 16:10–12He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
- Matt 25:14–29For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
- Matt 13:12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
- 1 Tim 1:13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- Rom 2:12–16For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
- 1 Tim 1:11According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
- Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
- 1 Tim 6:20O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
- Luke 16:2And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
- Num 15:29–30Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
- Gen 39:8–23But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
- Titus 1:3But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
- 1 Cor 9:17–18For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto 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.