But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Parallel translations
- WEB He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’
- BSB And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’
- NKJV But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
- NASB And yet He will say, ‘I do not know where you are from; leave Me, all you evildoers.’
- NLT And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’
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 master repeats that he does not know them and commands these workers of iniquity to depart. Final rejection falls on those who never truly knew Him.
Overview
Being unknown by the Lord, despite outward acquaintance, is the ground of exclusion. Calling them 'workers of iniquity' shows their lives were not marked by genuine righteousness. This solemn dismissal echoes Jesus' words elsewhere (Matthew 7:23) and warns that profession without true obedience leads to ruin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 6:8Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
- Matt 25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
- Ps 119:115Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
- Matt 7:22–23Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- Ps 1:6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
- 2 Tim 2:19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
- Luke 13:25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
- Ps 5:6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
- Hos 9:12Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
- Ps 101:8I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.
- Matt 25:12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
- Ps 28:3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
- 1 Cor 8:3But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
- Ps 125:5As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.
- Gal 4:9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
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 13:27 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.