Luke 16:15

Authorized King James Version (1611)

And he said unto them, ‹Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.›

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ δικαιοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς γινώσκει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν: ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὑψηλὸν βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστὶν.

Transliteration

And eipen to them, You este the dikaiountes heautous enōpion tōn anthrōpōn; ho de Theos ginōskei tas kardias of you: hoti that in anthrōpois hypsēlon bdelygma enōpion tou Theou estin.

Grammar Details

• *eipen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - said/spoke
• *este*: present active indicative, 2nd plural - you are
• *dikaiountes*: present active participle, nominative plural masculine - justifying
• *heautous*: accusative plural reflexive pronoun - yourselves
• *enōpion*: preposition + genitive - before/in the sight of
• *tōn anthrōpōn*: genitive plural masculine - of men/people
• *ho de*: but the
• *Theos*: nominative singular masculine - God
• *ginōskei*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - knows
• *tas kardias*: accusative plural feminine - the hearts
• *hoti*: conjunction - because/that
• *anthrōpois*: dative plural masculine - among men/people
• *hypsēlon*: nominative singular neuter adjective - high/lofty/exalted
• *bdelygma*: nominative singular neuter - abomination
• *tou Theou*: genitive singular masculine - of God
• *estin*: present active indicative, 3rd singular - is

Word Meanings

• *dikaiountes*: justifying/declaring righteous/vindicating
• *enōpion*: before/in the sight of/in the presence of
• *Theos*: God/Deity
• *ginōskei*: knows/perceives/understands
• *kardias*: hearts/inner selves/minds
• *hypsēlon*: high/lofty/exalted
• *bdelygma*: abomination/detestable thing/abhorrence

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 16:7 : 7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
• Prov 16:5 : 5 ¶ Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
• 1 Pet 3:4 : 4 But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
• 1 Pet 5:5 : 5 ¶ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
• 1 Cor 4:5 : 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
• Prov 21:2 : 2 ¶ Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
• Jer 17:10 : 10 I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings.
• 1 Chr 29:17 : 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
• 2 Chr 6:30 : 30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)
• Ps 7:9 : 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
• Acts 15:8 : 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us;
• Rev 2:23 : 23 ‹And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.›
• Matt 23:5 : 5 ‹But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,›
• Matt 23:25-27 : 25 ‹Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.› 26 [Thou] ‹blind Pharisee, cleanse first that› [which is] ‹within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.› 27 ‹Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead› [men's] ‹bones, and of all uncleanness.›
• Luke 10:29 : 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
• Luke 11:39 : 39 And the Lord said unto him, ‹Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.›
• Luke 18:11 : 11 ‹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men› [are], ‹extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.›
• Luke 18:21 : 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
• Luke 20:20 : 20 ¶ And they watched [him], and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
• Luke 20:47 : 47 ‹Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.›
• John 2:25 : 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
• John 21:17 : 17 He saith unto him the third time, ‹Simon,› [son] ‹of Jonas, lovest thou me?› Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, ‹Feed my sheep.›
• Acts 1:18 : 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
• Rom 3:20 : 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.
• Ps 10:3 : 3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, [whom] the LORD abhorreth.
• Ps 49:13 : 13 This their way [is] their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
• Ps 49:18 : 18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and [men] will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
• Ps 139:1-2 : 1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known [me]. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
• Amos 5:21-22 : 21 ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept [them]: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
• Mal 3:15 : 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, [they that] tempt God are even delivered.
• Matt 6:2 : 2 ‹Therefore when thou doest› [thine] ‹alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›
• Matt 6:5 : 5 ¶ ‹And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites› [are]: ‹for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›
• Matt 6:16 : 16 ¶ ‹Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.›
• Isa 1:10-14 : 10 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; [it is] iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear [them].
• Prov 20:6 : 6 ¶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
• Jas 2:21-25 : 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way?