for he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”
Parallel translations
- WEB for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”
- KJV For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
- NKJV “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.”
- NASB for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.”
- NLT “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
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 elders commend the centurion because he loves the Jewish nation and built their synagogue. His generosity and goodwill toward Israel are offered as grounds for help.
Overview
This Gentile officer showed remarkable favor toward the Jewish people, even funding their synagogue. Such a God-fearer represents Gentiles drawn toward the God of Israel. While the elders cite his deeds as merit, the narrative ultimately commends his faith, the true ground on which Christ responds.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Chr 2:11–12Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.”
- 1 Chr 29:3–9Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give for it my personal treasures of gold and silver, over and above all that I have provided for this holy temple:
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
- 1 Jn 3:18–19Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
- 1 Jn 5:1–3Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.
- 1 Kgs 5:1Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
- Ezra 7:27–28Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
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 7:5 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.