Luke 13:30

Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

BSB

And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

KJV

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

ASV

And behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.

BBE

And the last will be first, and the first will be last.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 ἰδοὺ idou behold G2400 εἰσὶν eisin there are G1510 ἔσχατοι eschatoi last G2078 οἳ hoi who G3739 ἔσονται esontai will be G1510 πρῶτοι prōtoi first G4413 καὶ kai and G2532 εἰσὶν eisin there are G1510 πρῶτοι prōtoi first G4413 οἳ hoi who G3739 ἔσονται esontai will be G1510 ἔσχατοι.¶ eschatoi last G2078

The early church

For the Fathers above mentioned, before the times of the Law, forsaking the sins of many gods to follow the Gospel way, received the knowledge of the most high God; to whom many of the Gentiles were conformed through a similar manner of life, but their children suffered estrangement from the Gospel rules; and herein it follows, And behold they are last which shall be first, and they are first which shall be last.
Eusebius of Caesarea · d. 339Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For to the Jews who held the first place have the Gentiles been preferred.
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Many also at first burning with zeal, afterwards grow cold; many at first cold, on a sudden become warm; many despised in this world, will be glorified in the world to come; others renowned among men, will in the end be condemned.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
But we as it seems are the first who have received from our very cradles the rudiments of Christian teaching, and perhaps shall be last in respect of the heathens who have believed at the end of life.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 23–30

Our Saviour came to guide men's consciences, not to gratify their curiosity. Ask not, How many shall be saved? But, Shall I be one of them? Not, What shall become of such and such? But, What shall I do, and what will become of me? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. This is directed to each of us; it is, Strive ye. All that will be saved, must enter in at the strait gate, must undergo a change of the whole man. Those that would enter in, must strive to enter. Here are awakening considerations, to enforce this exhortation. Oh that we may be all awakened by them! They answer the question, Are there few that shall be saved? But let none despond either as to themselves or others, for there are last who shall be first, and first who shall be last. If we reach heaven, we shall meet many there whom we little thought to meet, and miss many whom we expected to find.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 13 →

Parallel passages

3

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 19:30Matthew 20:16Mark 10:31

Cross-references

6

Topics

SalvationGentiles

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.