Luke 17:25
in Luke 17But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.
KJV
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
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This verse in Luke 17
Commentary
18 notes on this verseNow His disciples supposed that He would go to Jerusalem, and would at once make a manifestation of the kingdom of God. To rid them therefore of this belief, He informs them that it became Him first to suffer the Life-giving Passion, then to ascend to the Father and shine forth from above, that He might judge the world in righteousness. Hence He adds, But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
This site's exposition
you will long to see
on Luke 17:22-25
The lightning that lights up the sky from one end to the other pictures His day as sudden and seen everywhere. But first He must suffer and be rejected by this generation, so the glory comes after the cross.
This site's exposition
But first He must suffer many things
The cross comes before the day of the Son of Man. Cyril of Alexandria notes that the disciples expected Jesus to show the kingdom at once in Jerusalem, and this verse corrects them. Adam Clarke tied the coming desolation to the rejection by this generation.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
He who knows the signs of the coming judgment also knows the end. Why would he not know? He is like flashing lightning, since as the Light, the Son of God illumines the inner part of the heavenly mystery. "In that hour," it says. He also knows the hour, but he knows it for himself, he does not know it for me. He then suitably asserts that the cause of the flood, fire and of the judgment proceeded from our sins, because God did not create evil, but our actions devised it for themselves.
That they might know that he was about first to undergo his saving passion, abolish death by the death of his flesh, put away the sin of the world, destroy the ruler of this world, ascend to the Father and in due time appear to judge the world in righteousness, he says that he must first suffer many things.
For He tells them that "the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected," before His coming, at which His kingdom will be really revealed.
The Medieval Church2 voices
He means the generation not only of the Jews, but also of all wicked men, by whom even now in His own body, that is, His Church, the Son of man suffers many things, and is rejected. But while He spake many things of His coming in glory, He inserts something also concerning His Passion, that when men saw Him dying, whom they had heard would be glorified, they might both soothe their sorrow for His sufferings by the hope of the promised glory, and at the same time prepare themselves, if they love the glories of His kingdom, to look without alarm upon the horrors of death.
Then, since He had foretold terrible calamities for them, comforting them and urging them to endure these manfully, He sets Himself before them as an example. Do not marvel, He says, if such difficulties befall you as to make you wish for the return of …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Second, as to the order of the appearing, he adds: But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. This is understood of Christ the head and the perfidious generation of the Jews, from whom he suffered many things, of whom …
But first, it is necessary for him to suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. The Lord, speaking much about the glory of His advent, also took care to insert a few words about the terror of His passion so that when they …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. That the giving of offences is a great sin, and that which we should every one of us avoid and carefully watch against,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:30w-of-67
): " First must he suffer many things, many hard things, and be rejected of this generation; and, if he be thus treated, his disciples must expect no other than to suffer and be rejected too for his sake." They thought of having the kingdom of the Messiah set up in external splendour: "No," saith Christ, "we must go by the cross to the crown.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
But first must he suffer many things,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
But first must he suffer many things - As the cup of the iniquity of this people shall not be full till they have finally rejected and crucified the Lord of life and glory, so this desolation cannot take place till after my death.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We are taught, firstly, in this passage — that the kingdom of God is utterly unlike the kingdoms of this world. The Lord Jesus tells the Pharisees that "it does not come with observation." He meant by this, that its approach and presence were not to be marked by outward signs of dignity. Those who expected to observe anything of this kind, would be greatly disappointed. They would wait and watch for such a kingdom in vain — while the real kingdom would be in the midst of them without their knowing it.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But first . . . suffer, &c.--This shows that the more immediate reference of Lu 17:23 is to an event soon to follow the death of Christ. It was designed to withdraw the attention of "His disciples" from the glare in which His foregoing words had invested the approaching establishment of His kingdom.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when, &c.--To meet the erroneous views not only of the Pharisees, but of the disciples themselves, our Lord addresses both, announcing the coming of the kingdom under different aspects.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We are taught, firstly, in this passage — that the kingdom of God is utterly unlike the kingdoms of this world. The Lord Jesus tells the Pharisees that "it does not come with observation." He meant by this, that its approach and presence were not to be marked by outward signs of dignity. Those who expected to observe anything of this kind, would be greatly disappointed. They would wait and watch for such a kingdom in vain — while the real kingdom would be in the midst of them without their knowing it. "Behold," He says, "the kingdom of God is within you." The expression which our Lord here uses, describes exactly the beginning of His spiritual kingdom. It began in a manger at Bethlehem — without the knowledge of the great, the rich, and the wise. It appeared suddenly in the temple at Jerusalem — and no one but Simeon and Anna recognized its King. It was received thirty years after by none but a few fishermen and publicans in Galilee. The rulers and Pharisees had no eyes to see it. The King came to His own people — and His own did not receive Him. All this time, the Jews professed to be waiting for the kingdom. But they were looking in the wrong direction. They were waiting for signs which they had no warrant for expecting. The kingdom of God was actually in the midst of them — yet they could not see it! The literal kingdom which Christ shall set up one day, will begin in some respects very like His spiritual kingdom. It will not be accompanied by the signs, and marks, and outward manifestations which many are expecting to see. It will not be ushered in by a period of universal peace and holiness. It will not be announced to the Church by such unmistakable warnings — that everybody will be ready for it, and prepared for its appearing. It shall come suddenly, unexpectedly, and without a sign of warning — to the immense majority of mankind.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Πρῶτον | proton | First | G4413 → | 152 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| δεῖ | dei | it behooves | G1163 → | 101 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πολλὰ | polla | many things | G4183 → | 367 times |
| παθεῖν | pathein | to suffer | G3958 → | 42 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι | apodokimasthenai | to be rejected | G593 → | 9 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | by | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γενεᾶς | geneas | generation | G1074 → | 43 times |
| ταύτης.¶ | tautes | this. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
ΠρῶτονFirst
protonG4413 →152 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
δεῖit behooves
deiG1163 →101 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
πολλὰmany things
pollaG4183 →367 times
παθεῖνto suffer
patheinG3958 →42 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀποδοκιμασθῆναιto be rejected
apodokimasthenaiG593 →9 times
ἀπὸby
apoG575 →640 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
γενεᾶςgeneration
geneasG1074 →43 times
ταύτης.¶this.
tautesG3778 →1381 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 21:42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
it leads to
- Psalms 118:22–23
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.
- Acts 4:11
This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
- 1 Peter 2:4–8
As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,
- Ephesians 2:20
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
- Psalms 118:22–23
Through
John 1:11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
it leads to
- Luke 19:14
But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’
- Isaiah 53:2–3
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
- John 3:32
He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
- Luke 19:14
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 17; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 117; 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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.