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He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:16 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.
  • KJV And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
  • NKJV and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
  • NASB and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.
  • NLT He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

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 grateful leper falls at Jesus' feet in thanks, and Luke notes he was a Samaritan. The least expected person responds rightly to grace.

Overview

Falling at Jesus' feet is an act of worship and humble homage. Luke highlights that the thankful one was a Samaritan, a people despised by Jews, underscoring his recurring theme that God's mercy reaches outsiders. The detail foreshadows the gospel going beyond Israel to all who will receive Christ in faith and gratitude.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Acts 8:5–25Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
  • Matt 10:5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
  • Rev 19:10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
  • Rev 19:4–5And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
  • Luke 10:32–35So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.
  • John 4:9“You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
  • John 4:39–42Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”
  • Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
  • Luke 9:52–56He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.
  • Rev 5:14And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
  • Rev 4:10the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
  • Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”
  • John 4:21–22“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
  • Gen 17:3Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
  • Mark 5:33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth.
  • John 5:23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
  • John 8:48The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”
  • Matt 2:11On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
  • Acts 10:25–26As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 17:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 17:16 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.