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Luke 4:25-27

But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Luke 4:25-27 sits inside this longer paragraph.

He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’ ” He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

    Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

    There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    But I tell you of a truth many wyddowes were in Israell in the dayes of Helias when hevyn was shet thre yeres and syxe monethes when greate fammisshemet was throughoute all the londe

    and vnto none of them was Helias sent save in to Sarephta besydes Sidon vnto a woman that was a widow.

    And many lepers were in Israel in the tyme of Heliseus the Prophete: and yet none of them was healed savinge Naaman of Siria.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    But I tell you of a trueth, many widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias, when heauen was shut three yeres and sixe moneths, when great famine was throughout all the land:

    But vnto none of them was Elias sent, saue into Sarepta, a citie of Sidon, vnto a certaine widowe.

    Also many lepers were in Israel, in the time of Eliseus the Prophet: yet none of them was made cleane, sauing Naaman the Syrian.

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Cross-references (17)

  • 1 Kings 17:1 (v25) Elijah the Tishbite, who was one of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there…
  • James 5:17 (v25) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years…
  • 1 Kings 17:9-24 (v26) “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.” So he arose and…
  • 2 Kings 5:1-27 (v27) Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given…
  • Isaiah 55:8 (v25) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
Show all 17 cross-references
  • Matthew 11:21 (v26) “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would…
  • Matthew 20:15 (v25) Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?’
  • 1 Kings 18:1-2 (v25) After many days, Yahweh’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.”…
  • Mark 7:26-29 (v25) Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said to…
  • Luke 10:21 (v25) In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these…
  • John 17:12 (v27) While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son…
  • Romans 9:15 (v25) For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
  • 1 Kings 19:19-21 (v27) So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the…
  • Matthew 12:4 (v27) how he entered into God’s house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only…
  • Romans 9:20 (v25) But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
  • Ephesians 1:9 (v25) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
  • Ephesians 1:11 (v25) We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel…

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

Explain this passage (18 sources)

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

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v25 Land of Israel, see Mark 15:38.

Land of Israel, see Mark 15:38.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv25–27 25 But I tell you of a truth, many…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v25 The two stories to which our Saviour refers are…
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On v25 Here our Saviour by a double instance confirms what…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv25–27 But I tell you of a truth,.... Or in…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv25, 27 When the heaven was shut up three years and…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv25–27 Verse 25. In the days of Elias] See this…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v25 Luk 4:25-27. Many widows were in Israel in the…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv25–27 Of a truth - Truly, and therefore worthy of…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv25–26 But I tell you, &c.--falling back for support on…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv25, 27 25. Many widows—Jesus now illustrates his proverb, in the…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv25–27 25. many widows were in Israel] So far from…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv26–27 (26) Save unto Sarepta.—Better, but unto Sarepta, the Greek…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v25 Vers. 25-27. But I tell you of a truth,…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v26 Save unto Sarepta
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On v25 25–27. Many widows were in Israel. He points out…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v25 General Information:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv25, 27 4:25-26 widow of Zarephath: See 1 Kgs 17–18.
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