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saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Luke 19:42 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB saying, “If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.
  • KJV Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
  • BSB and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
  • NASB saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.
  • NLT “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.

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

Jesus laments that Jerusalem does not know the things that make for peace, now hidden from her eyes. Spiritual blindness leads to ruin.

Overview

Jesus mourns that the city failed to recognize in him the way of true peace with God. The hiddenness of these things reflects the judicial consequence of persistent unbelief. The verse is a solemn warning that rejecting Christ forfeits the peace he alone can give.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 32

  • Deut 32:29Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
  • Luke 1:77–79to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
  • Heb 10:26–29For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,
  • Isa 48:18Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
  • 2 Cor 6:1–2Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain,
  • Heb 3:15while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”
  • 2 Cor 3:14–16But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
  • 2 Cor 4:3–4Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;
  • Acts 10:36The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all —
  • Isa 55:6Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
  • John 12:35–36Jesus therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going.
  • Matt 13:14–15In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:
  • Luke 19:44and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn’t know the time of your visitation.”
  • John 12:38–41that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, “Lord, who has believed our report? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
  • Heb 3:13but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
  • 2 Th 2:9–12even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
  • Heb 12:24–26to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
  • Ezek 18:31–32Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?
  • Ezek 33:11Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
  • Acts 28:25–27When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers,
  • Isa 29:10–14For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers.
  • Acts 13:46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
  • Isa 44:18They don’t know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand.
  • Isa 6:9–10He said, “Go, and tell this people, ‘You hear indeed, but don’t understand; and you see indeed, but don’t perceive.’
  • Rom 11:7–10What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
  • Ps 32:6For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him.
  • Ps 81:13Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
  • Deut 5:29Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!
  • Heb 3:7Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice,
  • Luke 10:5–6Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’
  • Ps 95:7–8for he is our God. We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep in his care. Today, oh that you would hear his voice!
  • Luke 2:10–14The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

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 19:42YouTube · 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 19:42 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.