Luke 5:31

Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

BSB

Jesus answered, “ It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

KJV

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

ASV

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician; but they that are sick.

BBE

And Jesus, answering, said to them, Those who are well have no need of a medical man, but those who are ill.

Original Greek

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Καὶ Kai And G2532 ἀποκριθεὶς apokritheis answering G611 ὁ ho (the) G3588 Ἰησοῦς Iēsous Jesus G2424 εἶπεν eipen said G2036 πρὸς pros to G4314 αὐτούς autous them G846 οὐ ou No G3756 χρείαν chreian need G5532 ἔχουσιν echousin have G2192 οἱ hoi those G3588 ὑγιαίνοντες hugiainontes being well G5198 ἰατροῦ iatrou of a physician G2395 ἀλλ all᾽ but G235 οἱ hoi those G3588 κακῶς kakōs sick G2560 ἔχοντες echontes being G2192

The early church

Or, He means that the sound and righteous need no physician, i. e. the angels, but the corrupt and sinners, i. e. ourselves do; since we catch the disease of sin, which is not in heaven.
Gregory of Nyssa · d. 395Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(ubi sup.) But our Lord refutes all their charges, showing, that so far from its being a fault to mix with sinners, it is but a part of His merciful design, as it follows, And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; in which He reminds them of their common infirmities, and shows them that they are of the number of the sick, but adds, He is the Physician.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 27–39

It was a wonder of Christ's grace, that he would call a publican to be his disciple and follower. It was a wonder of his grace, that the call was made so effectual. It was a wonder of his grace, that he came to call sinners to repentance, and to assure them of pardon. It was a wonder of his grace, that he so patiently bore the contradiction of sinners against himself and his disciples. It was a wonder of his grace, that he fixed the services of his disciples according to their strength and standing. The Lord trains up his people gradually for the trials allotted them; we should copy his example in dealing with the weak in faith, or the tempted believer.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 5 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 9:12–13Mark 2:17

Cross-references

3

People & places

Jesus

Topics

Jesus, The ChristSalvationPhysician

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