Luke 14:31

Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

World English Bible
Learn

Your notes

Private to you. Anything you write on this verse, here or while reading, shows up here and in My study.

Other translations

WEBBE

Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

BSB

Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

KJV

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

ASV

Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

BBE

Or what king, going to war with another king, will not first take thought if he will be strong enough, with ten thousand men, to keep off him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

Original Greek

Look up a word

Tap a word to see what it means and everywhere else it's used.

ἢ ē Or G2228 τίς tis what G5101 βασιλεὺς basileus king G935 πορευόμενος poreuomenos proceeding G4198 ἑτέρῳ heterō with another G2087 βασιλεῖ basilei king G935 συμβαλεῖν sumbalein to engage G4820 εἰς eis in G1519 πόλεμον polemon war G4171 οὐχὶ ouchi not G3780 καθίσας kathisas having sat down G2523 πρῶτον prōton first G4413 βουλεύσεται bouleusetai will take counsel G1011 εἰ ei whether G1487 δυνατός dunatos able G1415 ἐστιν estin he is G1510 ἐν en with G1722 δέκα deka ten G1176 χιλιάσιν chiliasin thousand G5505 ὑπαντῆσαι hupantēsai to meet G5221 τῷ tō the [one] G3588 μετὰ meta with G3326 εἴκοσι eikosi twenty G1501 χιλιάδων chiliadōn thousand G5505 ἐρχομένῳ erchomenō coming G2064 ἐπ ep᾽ against G1909 αὐτόν; auton him G846

The early church

All 6
Or the ten thousand of him who is going to fight with the king who has twenty, signify the simplicity of the Christian about to contend with the subtlety of the devil.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For we fight against spiritual wickedness in high places; (Eph. 6:12.) but there presses upon us a multitude also of other enemies, fleshly lust, the law of sin raging in our members, and various passions, that is, a dreadful multitude of enemies.
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(in Hom. ut sup.) Or else, in that awful trial we come not to the judgment a match for our king, for ten thousand are against twenty thousand, two against one. He comes with a double army against a single. For while we are scarcely prepared in deeds only, he sifts us at once both in thought and deed. While then he is yet afar off, who though still present in judgment, is not seen, let us send him an embassy, our tears, our works of mercy, the propitiatory victim. This is our message which appeases the coming king.
Gregory the Dialogist · d. 604Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
The king is sin reigning in our mortal body; (Rom. 6:12.) but our understanding also was created king. If then he wishes to fight against sin, let him consider with his whole mind. For the devils are the satellites of sin, which being twenty thousand, seem to surpass in number our ten thousand, because that being spiritual compared to us who are corporeal, they are come to have much greater strength.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(ut sup.) But as with respect to the unfinished tower, he alarms us by the reproaches of those who say, The man began to build, and was not able to finish, so with regard to the king with whom the battle was to be, he reproved even peace, adding, Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace; signifying that those also who forsake all they possess cannot endure from the devil the threats of even coming temptations, and make peace with him by consenting unto him to commit sin.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 25–35

Though the disciples of Christ are not all crucified, yet they all bear their cross, and must bear it in the way of duty. Jesus bids them count upon it, and then consider of it. Our Saviour explains this by two similitudes; the former showing that we must consider the expenses of our religion; the latter, that we must consider the perils of it. Sit down and count the cost; consider it will cost the mortifying of sin, even the most beloved lusts. The proudest and most daring sinner cannot stand against God, for who knows the power of his anger? It is our interest to seek peace with him, and we need not send to ask conditions of peace, they are offered to us, and are highly to our advantage. In some way a disciple of Christ will be put to the trial. May we seek to be disciples indeed, and be careful not to grow slack in our profession, or afraid of the cross; that we may be the good salt of the earth, to season those around us with the savour of Christ.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 14 →

Cross-references

5

Topics

War

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