The Meaning of Luke 20:47 Explained

Luke 20:47

KJV: Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

YLT: who devour the houses of the widows, and for a pretence make long prayers, these shall receive more abundant judgment.'

Darby: who devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment.

ASV: who devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for a shew  make  long  prayers:  the same  shall receive  greater  damnation. 

What does Luke 20:47 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 20:41-47 - David's Lord Testing Men And Women
It was the Master's turn to question. As man, He was David's descendant and son; as the Son of God, He was his Lord. Though it sealed His doom, our Lord tore the veil from before these hypocrites, that when He had passed, His followers might be warned against these sunken rocks, Judges 1:12.
We note the difference between the false teachers, who devoured widows' houses, and the true Leader and Teacher, who set so high a value on a widow's gift. Our gifts to God should cost us something, else they are not reckoned in the accounts of eternity. The real value of a gift is to be estimated by what is left behind. Remember that the fragrance and beauty of this act have lasted, while the stones of the Temple have crumbled to dust. Holy deeds are imperishable! Jesus is still sitting by the treasury, watching and estimating our gifts. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 20

1  Jesus confirms his authority by a question of John's baptism
9  The parable of the vineyard
19  Of giving tribute to Caesar
27  He instructs the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection
41  How Jesus is the Son of David
45  He warns his disciples to beware of the scribes

Greek Commentary for Luke 20:47

Widows' houses []
See on Mark 12:40. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 20:47

Luke 20:45 In the hearing of all the people [ακουοντος παντος του λαου]
Genitive absolute, “while all the people were listening” (present active participle). That is the time to speak. The details in this verse and Luke 20:47 are precisely those given in Mark 12:38., which see notes for discussion of details. Matthew 23:1-39 has a very full and rich description of this last phase of the debate in the temple where Jesus drew a full-length portrait of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes in their presence. It was a solemn climax to this last public appearance of Christ in the temple when Jesus poured out the vials of his indignation as he had done before (Matthew 16:2; Luke 11:12, Luke 11:15-18). [source]
Acts 27:30 Were seeking [ζητουντων]
Genitive absolute again with present active participle of ζητεω — zēteō to seek. Had lowered (χαλασαντων — chalasantōn). Aorist active participle of χαλαζω — chalazō Under colour Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Acts 27:30 Under colour [προπασει]
Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
James 3:1 Heavier judgment [μειζον κριμα]
“Greater sentence.” See Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47 for περρισοτερον κριμα — perrisoteron krima (the sentence from the judge, Romans 13:2). The reason is obvious. The pretence of knowledge adds to the teacher‘s responsibility and condemnation. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 20:47 mean?

who devour the houses of widows and as a pretext at great length pray These will receive more abundant condemnation
οἳ κατεσθίουσιν τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσεύχονται οὗτοι λήμψονται περισσότερον κρίμα

κατεσθίουσιν  devour 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κατεσθίω 
Sense: to consume by eating, to eat up, devour.
οἰκίας  houses 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: οἰκία  
Sense: a house.
χηρῶν  widows 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: χήρα  
Sense: a widow.
προφάσει  as  a  pretext 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πρόφασις  
Sense: a pretext (alleged reason, pretended cause).
μακρὰ  at  great  length 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: μακρός  
Sense: long.
προσεύχονται  pray 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσεύχομαι  
Sense: to offer prayers, to pray.
οὗτοι  These 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λήμψονται  will  receive 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
περισσότερον  more  abundant 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: περισσός  
Sense: exceeding some number or measure or rank or need.
κρίμα  condemnation 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κρίμα  
Sense: a decree, judgments.