Luke 12:48
New International Version
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

New Living Translation
But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

English Standard Version
But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Berean Standard Bible
But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

Berean Literal Bible
But the one not having known, but having done things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few. And everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from him to whom much has been committed, more will they ask of him.

King James Bible
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

New King James Version
But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

New American Standard Bible
but the one who did not know it, and committed acts deserving of a beating, will receive only a few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

NASB 1995
but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

NASB 1977
but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Legacy Standard Bible
but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a beating, will receive but a few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Amplified Bible
but the one who did not know it and did things worthy of a beating, will receive only a few [lashes]. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Christian Standard Bible
But the one who did not know and did what deserved punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

American Standard Version
but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But he who did not know and did something worthy of blows shall be beaten with few blows, for from everyone to whom much is given, much shall be required, and of him to whom they commit much, they shall require more.”

Contemporary English Version
But servants who don't know what their master wants them to do will not be beaten so hard for doing wrong. If God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

English Revised Version
but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But the servant who didn't know [what his master wanted] and did things for which he deserved punishment will receive a light beating. A lot will be expected from everyone who has been given a lot. More will be demanded from everyone who has been entrusted with a lot.

Good News Translation
But the servant who does not know what his master wants, and yet does something for which he deserves a whipping, will be punished with a light whipping. Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given.

International Standard Version
But the servant who did things that deserved a beating without knowing it will receive a light beating. Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given. But even more will be demanded from the one to whom much has been entrusted."

Literal Standard Version
and he who, not having known, and having done things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few; and to everyone to whom much was given, much will be required from him; and to whom they committed much, more abundantly they will ask of him.

Majority Standard Bible
But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

New American Bible
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

NET Bible
But the one who did not know his master's will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

New Revised Standard Version
But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

New Heart English Bible
but he who did not know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he that knew not, and committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have committed much, from him they will ask the more.

Weymouth New Testament
But he who had not been told it and yet did what deserved the scourge, will receive but few lashes. To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him a larger amount will be demanded.

World English Bible
but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Young's Literal Translation
and he who, not having known, and having done things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few; and to every one to whom much was given, much shall be required from him; and to whom they did commit much, more abundantly they will ask of him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Be Ready for Service
47That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. 49I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!…

Cross References
Leviticus 5:17
If someone sins and violates any of the LORD's commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

Numbers 15:27
Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering.

Numbers 15:29
You shall have the same law for the one who acts in error, whether he is a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.

Deuteronomy 25:2
If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime warrants.

Matthew 13:12
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Luke 12:41
"Lord," said Peter, "are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?"

Luke 12:49
I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!


Treasury of Scripture

But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

knew.

Leviticus 5:17
And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

Acts 17:30
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Romans 2:12-16
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; …

For.

Luke 16:2,10-12
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward…

Genesis 39:8
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

Matthew 25:14-29
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods…

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Luke 12
1. Jesus preaches to his apostles to avoid hypocrisy
13. and warns against covetousness, by the parable of the man who set up greater barns.
22. We must not worry about earthly things,
31. but seek the kingdom of God;
33. give alms;
35. be ready at a knock to open to our Lord whensoever he comes.
41. Jesus' disciples are to see to their charges,
49. and look for persecution.
54. The people must take this time of grace;
57. because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation.














(48) He that knew not.--The words manifest the tenderness of a considerate equity, like that which uttered itself in our Lord's words as to Sodom and Tyre and Sidon, in Luke 10:12-13. Man's knowledge is the measure of his responsibilities; and in the absence of knowledge, more or less complete, though stripes may be inflicted as the only effective discipline for teaching men what things are or are not worthy of stripes, yet they shall be "few." The words throw a gleam of hope on the darkness that lies behind the veil. We know not whether the "few stripes" imply limited duration, or suffering less acute, the tolerabilior damnatio of Augustine, and need not care to know. We may well be content to leave that question to Him who spake the words, and in so doing gave the most convincing proof that the Judge of all the earth will assuredly do right (Genesis 18:25).

Unto whomsoever much is given.--The two clauses differ slightly, though they are parallel in meaning; the first referring to "gifts" which involve what we speak of as a general moral responsibility, the second to that which has been solemnly "committed to men as a trust or deposit." (Comp. 1Timothy 6:20; 2Timothy 1:12; 2Timothy 1:14.) . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the [one who]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

unknowingly
γνοὺς (gnous)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

does
ποιήσας (poiēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

[things] worthy
ἄξια (axia)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 514: Worthy, worthy of, deserving, comparable, suitable. Probably from ago; deserving, comparable or suitable.

of punishment
πληγῶν (plēgōn)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 4127: A blow, stripe, wound; an affliction, plague. From plesso; a stroke; by implication, a wound; figuratively, a calamity.

will be beaten with
δαρήσεται (darēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1194: To flay, flog, scourge, beat. A primary verb; properly, to flay, i.e. to scourge, or to thrash.

few [blows].
ὀλίγας (oligas)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3641: Puny; especially neuter somewhat.

[From]
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

everyone
παντὶ (panti)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

who
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

has been given
ἐδόθη (edothē)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

much,
πολύ (poly)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

much
πολὺ (poly)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

will be required;
ζητηθήσεται (zētēthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

from
παρ’ (par’)
Preposition
Strong's 3844: Gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of.

him
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

who
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

has been entrusted
παρέθεντο (parethento)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3908: From para and tithemi; to place alongside, i.e. Present; by implication, to deposit.

with much,
πολύ (poly)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

even more
περισσότερον (perissoteron)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 4053: From peri; superabundant or superior; by implication, excessive; adverbially violently; neuter preeminence.

will be demanded.
αἰτήσουσιν (aitēsousin)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 154: To ask, request, petition, demand. Of uncertain derivation; to ask.


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NT Gospels: Luke 12:48 But he who didn't know and did (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 12:47
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