“for he loves our nation, and has built us a 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.
- BSB for he loves our nation and has built our 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 Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them.”
- 1 Chr 29:3–9In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.
- 1 Jn 3:18–19My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
- 1 Jn 5:1–3Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
- 1 Kgs 5:1Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father, and Hiram had always loved David.
- Ezra 7:27–28Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem;
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working 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.