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Luke 12:51-53

Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Luke 12:51-53 sits inside this longer paragraph.

“I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.

    For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

    They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on erth? I tell you naye: but rather debate.

    For from hence forthe ther shalbe five in one housse devided thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre.

    The father shalbe devided agaynst the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father. The mother agaynst the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother. The moter eleawe agaynst hir doughterelawe and the doughterelawe agaynst hir motherelawe.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    Thinke ye that I am come to giue peace on earth? I tell you, nay, but rather debate.

    For from hencefoorth there shall be fiue in one house deuided, three against two, and two against three.

    The father shalbe deuided against ye sonne, and the sonne against the father: the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother: the mother in lawe against her daughter in lawe, and the daughter in lawe against her mother in lawe.

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Examined in Scripture Analysis

Contradictions (1)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

  • Did Jesus come to bring peace?

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Cross-references (20)

  • Matthew 10:34-36 (v51) “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at odds against his…
  • Micah 7:6 (v53) For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies…
  • Matthew 10:21-22 (v53) “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to…
  • Luke 12:49 (v51) “I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.
  • Matthew 24:10 (v53) Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
Show all 20 cross-references
  • John 15:18-21 (v52) If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But…
  • Acts 14:1-4 (v52) In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.…
  • Micah 7:5-6 (v52) Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!…
  • Zechariah 11:10-11 (v51) I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. It was broken in that day;…
  • Matthew 24:7-10 (v51) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.…
  • John 9:16 (v52) Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a…
  • John 10:19-21 (v52) Therefore a division arose again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you…
  • John 16:2 (v52) They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
  • Acts 28:24 (v52) Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
  • Psalms 41:9 (v52) Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me.
  • Zechariah 11:14 (v51) Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
  • Zechariah 13:2-6 (v53) It will come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be…
  • Acts 13:43-46 (v52) Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged…
  • John 7:41-43 (v52) Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ…
  • Zechariah 11:7-8 (v51) So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favor”, and the…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (14 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv51–53 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give…

51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

Ver. 51. See Mat 10:34.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v51 See Poole on "Mat 10:34-35". Our Saviour in these…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv51–53 For from henceforth there shall be five in one…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv51–53 Suppose ye that I am come to send peace…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv51–52 Verse 51. To give peace] See Mt 10:34.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v51 See the notes at Mat 10:34-36.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v51 peace . . . ? Nay, &c.--the reverse of…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv51, 53 51. Suppose ye] as they were far too much…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v51 (51-53) Suppose ye that I am come to give…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On v51 51–53. Suppose ye that I am come to give…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v51 Do you think that I came to bring peace…
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv51, 53 12:51-53 I have come to divide people: Jesus’ ministry…
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