Luke 19:31

If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say to him: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say to him: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

BSB

If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

KJV

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

ASV

And if any one ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say, The Lord hath need of him.

BBE

And if anyone says to you, Why are you taking him? say, The Lord has need of him.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 ἐάν ean if G1437 τις tis anyone G5100 ὑμᾶς humas you G4771 ἐρωτᾷ erōta shall ask G2065 διὰ dia Because of G1223 τί ti why G5101 λύετε; luete do you untie [it] G3089 οὕτως houtōs thus G3779 ἐρεῖτε ereite will you say G4483 αὐτῷ autō to him G846 ὅτι hoti Because G3754 ὁ ho the G3588 κύριος kurios Lord G2962 αὐτοῦ autou of it G846 χρείαν chreian need G5532 ἔχει.¶ echei has G2192

The early church

There were then many masters of this colt, before that the Saviour had need of him. But as soon as He began to be the master, there ceased to be any other. For no one can serve God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24.) When we are the servants of wickedness we are subject to many vices and passions, but the Lord has need of the colt, because He would have us loosed from the chain of our sins.
Origen of Alexandria · d. 253Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Here it was evident that there would be a divine summons. For no one can resist God calling for what is His own. But the disciples when ordered to fetch the colt refused not the office as a slight one, but went to bring him.
Titus of Bostra · d. 378Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Hom. 66. in Matt.) At the beginning of His ministry our Lord showed Himself indifferent to the Jews, but when He had given sufficient token of His power, He transacts every thing with the highest authority. Many are the miracles which then took place. He foretold to them, ye shall find an unbroken colt. He foretels also that no one should hinder them, but as soon as they heard it, should hold their peace.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 28–40

Christ has dominion over all creatures, and may use them as he pleases. He has all men's hearts both under his eye and in his hand. Christ's triumphs, and his disciples' joyful praises, vex proud Pharisees, who are enemies to him and to his kingdom. But Christ, as he despises the contempt of the proud, so he accepts the praises of the humble. Pharisees would silence the praises of Christ, but they cannot; for as God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham, and turn the stony heart to himself, so he can bring praise out of the mouths of children. And what will be the feelings of men when the Lord returns in glory to judge the world!

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 19 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 21:3Mark 11:3

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5

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Jesus

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