There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.
Parallel Translations
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There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.
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Ther were seven brethren and the fyrste toke a wyfe and dyed with out children.
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Now there were seuen brethren, and the first tooke a wife, and he dyed without children.
Cross-references (2)
Passages linked to Luke 20:29 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Leviticus 20:20 If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin. They shall die childless.
- Jeremiah 22:30 Yahweh says, “Record this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no more will a man of his offspring prosper, sitting on David’s throne, and ruling in Judah.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Last of all the woman died also. Having had…
Last of all the woman died also. Having had no children by either of her seven husbands.
Last of all the woman died also. Having had no children by either of her seven husbands.
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Luke 20:33
luk 20:33
luk 20:33
luk 20:33Therefore in the resurrection,.... At the time of the resurrection of the dead, in that state, supposing there will be such an one, which they denied;
whose wife of them is she? the first, or the last, or any of the intermediate ones?
for seven had her to wife; and she had no child by either of them; so that their claim seems to be alike; this they thought unanswerable, and sufficient to set aside the notion of a resurrection.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 29. There were therefore seven brethren] See Clarke…
Verse 29. There were therefore seven brethren] See Clarke on Mt 22:23-33.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 29. There were therefore seven brethren] In Mat_22:25 it…
29. There were therefore seven brethren] In Mat_22:25 it runs “there were with us,” as though they were alluding to an actual case.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 29-33. There were therefore seven brethren: and the…
Vers. 29-33. There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. The question here put to the Master was a well-known materialistic objection to the resurrection, and had on several occasions Been asked by these shallow Epicureans as the Talmud calls them to the great rabbis of the schools of the Pharisees. Their usual answer was that the woman in question would be the wife of the first husband.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
The Sadducees finish asking Jesus their question.
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General Information:
The Sadducees tell Jesus a short story in verses 29-32. This is a story they made up as an example. In verse 33, they ask Jesus a question about the story they told.
There were seven brothers
This may have happened, but it is probably a story that they made up to test Jesus.
the first ... the second ... The third
"brother number one ... brother number two ... Brother number three" (See: Ordinal Numbers)
died childless
"died without having any children" or "died, but did not have any children"
the second as well
They did not repeat many of the details to keep the story short. AT: "the second married her and the same thing happened" or "the second brother married her and died without having any children" (See: Ellipsis)
The third took her
"The third married her"
likewise the seven also left no children, and died
They did not repeat many of the details to keep the story short. AT: "in the same way the rest of the seven brothers married her and had no children and died" (See: Ellipsis)
the seven
"all seven of the brothers" or "each of the seven brothers"
In the resurrection
"When people are raised from the dead" or "When dead people will become alive again." Some languages have a way of showing that the Sadducees did not believe that there would be a resurrection, such as "In the supposed resurrection" or "When dead people are supposedly raised from the dead."
translationWords
resurrection
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 20:29-33 Well, suppose there were seven brothers: A similar…
20:29-33 Well, suppose there were seven brothers: A similar story of a woman married to seven husbands appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha (Tobit 3:7-17; 6:10–8:18).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.