He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’
Parallel translations
- KJV But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye 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 you workers of iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.
- Matt 25:41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
- Ps 119:115Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.
- Matt 7:22–23Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’
- Ps 1:6For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
- 2 Tim 2:19However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Luke 13:25When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
- Ps 5:6You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
- Hos 9:12Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
- Ps 101:8Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city.
- Matt 25:12But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
- Ps 28:3Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.
- 1 Cor 8:3But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.
- Ps 125:5But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.
- Gal 4:9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
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.