Luke 13:1
in Luke 13At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now there were some present at that very season who told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
KJV
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
⋯
This verse in Luke 13
Commentary
24 notes on this verseA commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
The murder of the Galileans, mentioned in the first verse of this passage — is an event of which we know nothing certain. We are left to conjecture what the motives were, of those who told our Lord of the event. At any rate, they gave Him an opportunity of speaking to them about their own souls, which He did not fail to employ. He seized the event, as His manner was, and made a practical use of it. He bade His informants look within, and think of their own state before God.
This site's exposition
told Jesus about the Galileans
on Luke 13:1-3
Some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices, a report of the governor's cruelty at the place of worship. Jesus names the assumption behind it, asking whether these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, and answers No, I tell you. He then turns the warning from the dead to the living listeners: unless you repent, you too will all perish.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
In those whose blood Pilate mingled with the sacrifices, there seems to be a certain mystical type, which concerns all who by the compulsion of the Devil offer not a pure sacrifice, whose prayer is for a sin, (Ps. 109:7.) as it was written of Judas, who when he was amongst the sacrifices devised the betrayal of our Lord's blood.
From those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, the symbolic interpretation appears to refer to those who under the devil's power offer sacrifice impurely. Their prayer becomes sin, just as it is written of Judas the traitor, who, amid the sacrifices, planned the betrayal of the Lord's blood.
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 14.25 · Written before 373.
proposed
They came and informed Jesus concerning the men from Galilee, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices, on the festival of Herod's birthday, when he cut off John's head. Since Herod had illegally killed John, Pilate sent and killed those who were present at …
And He here plainly shows, that whatever judgments are passed for the punishment of the guilty, happen not only by the authority of the judges, but the will of God. Whether therefore the judge punishes upon the strict grounds of conscience, or has some other object in his condemnation, we must ascribe the work to the Divine appointment.
For these were followers of the opinions of Judas of Galilee, of whom Luke makes mention in the Acts of the Apostles, (Acts 5:37.) who said, that we ought to call no man master. Great numbers of them refusing to acknowledge Cæsar as their master, were therefore punished by Pilate. They said also that men ought not to offer God any sacrifices that were not ordained in the law of Moses, and so forbade to offer the sacrifices appointed by the people for the safety of the Emperor and the Roman people. Pilate then, being enraged against the Galilæans, ordered them to be slain in the midst of the very victims which they thought they might offer according to the custom of their law; so that the blood of the offerers was mingled with that of the victims offered. Now it being generally believed that these Galilæans were most justly punished, as sowing offences among the people, the rulers, eager to excite against Him the hatred of the people, relate these things to the Saviour, wishing to discover what He thought about them. But He, admitting them to be sinners, does not however judge them to have suffered such things, as though they were worse than those who suffered not. Whence it follows, And he answered and said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, &c.
17 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
(ubi sup.) And herein he shows that He permitted them to suffer such things, that the heirs of the kingdom yet living might be dismayed by the dangers of others. "What then," you will say, "is this man punished, that I might become better?" Nay, but he is punished for his own crimes, and hence arises an opportunity of salvation to those who see it.
(de Laz. Conc. 3.) For God punishes some sinners by cutting off their iniquities, and appointing to them hereafter a lighter punishment, or perhaps even entirely releasing them, and correcting those who are living in wickedness by their punishment. Again, he does not punish others, that if they take heed to themselves by repentance they may escape both the present penalty and future punishment, but if they continue in their sins, suffer still greater torment.
The Medieval Church5 voices
Judas the Galilean, whom the same evangelist mentions also in Acts (Acts 5:37), being himself learned in the Law, persuaded many other Galileans to adhere to his teaching. He taught that no one among men, not even the emperor himself, was permitted to be called …
Above he rebuked negligence with respect to knowing grace; here he rebukes negligence with respect to doing penance. And this indeed he does in three ways: first, by an example heard; second, by an example taken up, at the passage: As those eighteen etc.; third, …
There were present at that very time some who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. These Galileans, who were killed by the impious governor at their own sacrifices, indeed paid the penalties for their own crimes with a …
For Pilate, who is interpreted, "The mouth of the hammerer," signifies the devil ever ready to strike. The blood expresses sin, the sacrifices good actions. Pilate then mingles the blood of the Galilæans with their sacrifices when the devil stains the alms and other good works of the faithful either by carnal indulgence, or by courting the praise of men, or any other defilement.
As He had been speaking of the punishments of sinners, the story is fitly told Him of the punishment of certain particular sinners, from which He takes occasion to denounce vengeance also against other sinners: as it is said, There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices - Some of the followers of Judas Gaulonites. They absolutely refused to own the Roman authority. Pilate surrounded and slew them, while they were worshipping in the temple, at a public feast.
If they had any thoughts of this kind, they were quite mistaken; for Christ was now going up to Jerusalem, to be delivered into the hands of Pilate, and to have his blood, not mingled with his sacrifice, but itself made a sacrifice. (4.) Perhaps this was told Christ to deter him from going up to Jerusalem, to worship (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
There were present at that season,.... Among the innumerable multitude of people, Luk 12:1 that were then hearing the above discourses and sayings of Christ: some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
The parable of the fruitless fig-tree, by which we are warned to bring forth fruits meet for that repentance to which he had in the foregoing passage called us,
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
About this time that party would be at its height, and if Pilate caused this detachment of them to be waylaid and put to death as they were offering their sacrifices at one of the festivals, that would be "mingling their blood with their sacrifices" [GROTIUS, WEBSTER and WILKINSON, but doubted by DE WETTE, MEYER, ALFORD, &c.].
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The murder of the Galileans, mentioned in the first verse of this passage — is an event of which we know nothing certain. We are left to conjecture what the motives were, of those who told our Lord of the event. At any rate, they gave Him an opportunity of speaking to them about their own souls, which He did not fail to employ. He seized the event, as His manner was, and made a practical use of it. He bade His informants look within, and think of their own state before God. He seems to say, "What though these Galileans did die a sudden death? What is that to you? Consider your own ways. Except you repent — you shall all likewise perish." Let us observe, for one thing, in these verses — how much more ready people are to talk of the deaths of others, than their own deaths. The death of the Galileans, mentioned here, was probably a common subject of conversation in Jerusalem and all Judea. We can well believe that all the circumstances and particulars belonging to it, were continually discussed by thousands who never thought of their own latter end! It is just the same in the present day. A murder, a sudden death, a shipwreck, or a railway accident — will completely occupy the minds of a neighborhood, and be in the mouth of every one you meet. And yet these very people dislike talking of their own deaths — and their own prospects in the eternal world beyond the grave. Such is human nature in every age. In religion, men are ready to talk of anybody's business — rather than their own! The state of our own souls, should always be our first concern. It is eminently true that real Christianity will always begin at home. The converted man will always think first — of his own heart, his own life, his own deserts, and his own sins. Does he hear of a sudden death? He will say to himself, "Would I have been found ready — if this had happened to me?"
Accidents, Not Punishments Spurgeon preached this message in response to two disasters that had hit very close to home. On Sunday, August 25, 1861, a nightmarish collision between two trains in the Clayton Tunnel (a 1.5-mile long tunnel between London and Brighton) had claimed 23 lives and severely injured hundreds. Barely more than two weeks later, on Monday, September 2, another train wreck in Kentish Town Fields (in North London) claimed 15 more lives. See: http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/glossary/clayton.html http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/glossary/sigs.html http://www.hassocksuk.com/clayton_tunnel.htm A Sermon (No. 408) Delivered on Sunday Morning, September the 8th, 1861 by the Rev. C. H.
Accidents, Not Punishments Spurgeon preached this message in response to two disasters that had hit very close to home. On Sunday, August 25, 1861, a nightmarish collision between two trains in the Clayton Tunnel (a 1.5-mile long tunnel between London and Brighton) had claimed 23 lives and severely injured hundreds. Barely more than two weeks later, on Monday, September 2, another train wreck in Kentish Town Fields (in North London) claimed 15 more lives. See: http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/glossary/clayton.html http://ukhrail.uel.ac.uk/glossary/sigs.html http://www.hassocksuk.com/clayton_tunnel.htm A Sermon (No. 408) Delivered on Sunday Morning, September the 8th, 1861 by the Rev. C. H. SPURGEON, At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem! I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”—Luke 13:1-5. THE YEAR 1861 will have a notoriety among its fellows as the year of calamities. Just at that season when man goeth forth to reap the fruit of his labors, when the harvest of the earth is ripe, and the barns are beginning to burst with the new wheat, Death too, the mighty reaper, has come forth to out down his harvest; full sheaves have been gathered into his garner—the tomb, and terrible have been the wailings which compose the harvest hymn of death. In reading the newspapers during the last two weeks, even the most stolid must have been the subject of very painful feelings.
At that season - At what time this happened is not easy to determine; but it appears that it was now a piece of news which was told to Christ and his disciples for the first time. Whose blood Pilate had mingled - This piece of history is not recorded (as far as I can find) by Josephus: however, he states that the Galileans were the most seditious people in the land: they belonged properly to Herod’s jurisdiction; but, as they kept the great feasts at Jerusalem, they probably, by their tumultuous behavior at some one of them, gave Pilate, who was a mortal enemy to Herod, a pretext to fall upon and slay many of them; and thus, perhaps, sacrifice the people to the resentment he had against the prince. Archelaus is represented by Josephus as sending his soldiers into the temple, and slaying 3000 men while they were employed in offering sacrifices. Josephus, War, b. ii. c. 1, s. 3, and ii. c. 5. Some suppose that this refers to the followers of Judas Gaulonites, (see Act 5:37), who would not acknowledge the Roman government, a number of whom Pilate surrounded and slew, while they were sacrificing in the temple. See Josephus, Antiq. lib. 18: but this is not very certain.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
There were present - That is, some persons who were present, and who had heard his discourse recorded in the previous chapter. There was probably a pause in his discourse, when they mentioned what had been done by Pilate to the Galileans. At that season - At that time - that is the time mentioned in the last chapter. At what period of our Lord’s ministry this was, it is not easy to determine. Some that told him - This was doubtless an event of recent occurrence. Jesus, it is probable, had not before heard of it.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Παρῆσαν | paresan | Were present | G3918 → | |
| δέ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τινες | tines | some | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἐν | en | at | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | the same | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καιρῷ | kairo | time | G2540 → | 84 times |
| ἀπαγγέλλοντες | apangellontes | telling | G518 → | 43 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περὶ | peri | about | G4012 → | 332 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Γαλιλαίων | galilaion | Galileans | G1057 → | 11 times |
| ὧν | hon | of whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἷμα | haima | blood | G129 → | 97 times |
| Πιλᾶτος | pilatos | Pilate | G4091 → | 55 times |
| ἔμιξεν | emixen | mingled | G3396 → | |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυσιῶν | thusion | sacrifices | G2378 → | |
| αὐτῶν.¶ | auton | of them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΠαρῆσανWere present
paresanG3918 →
δέnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τινεςsome
tinesG5100 →528 times
ἐνat
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷthe same
autoG846 →5565 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
καιρῷtime
kairoG2540 →84 times
ἀπαγγέλλοντεςtelling
apangellontesG518 →43 times
αὐτῷto Him
autoG846 →5565 times
περὶabout
periG4012 →332 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΓαλιλαίωνGalileans
galilaionG1057 →11 times
ὧνof whom
honG3739 →1405 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
αἷμαblood
haimaG129 →97 times
ΠιλᾶτοςPilate
pilatosG4091 →55 times
ἔμιξενmingled
emixenG3396 →
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
θυσιῶνsacrifices
thusionG2378 →
αὐτῶν.¶of them.
autonG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 27:2They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
it leads to
- Acts 3:13
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
- Matthew 20:19
and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”
- Acts 3:13
Through
Lamentations 2:20Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
it leads to
- Lamentations 4:10
The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
- Jeremiah 19:9
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’
- Psalms 78:64
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
- Exodus 32:11
But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and…
- Deuteronomy 9:26
And I prayed to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, Your inheritance, whom You redeemed through Your greatness and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
- Lamentations 4:10
Through
Acts 5:37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
it leads to
- Luke 2:1–2
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
- Luke 2:1–2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke

This page draws on 20 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Gospel of Luke; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 13; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 408: “Accidents, Not Punishments” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 14.25; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke and Titus of Bostra, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
