And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Parallel translations
- WEB He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.
- BSB He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—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 8:5–25Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
- Matt 10:5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
- Rev 19:10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- Rev 19:4–5And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
- Luke 10:32–35And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
- John 4:9Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
- John 4:39–42And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
- Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
- Luke 9:52–56And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
- Rev 5:14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
- Rev 4:10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
- Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
- John 4:21–22Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
- Gen 17:3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
- Mark 5:33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
- John 5:23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
- John 8:48Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
- Matt 2:11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
- Acts 10:25–26And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
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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 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.