The Meaning of Luke 12:58 Explained

Luke 12:58

KJV: When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

YLT: for, as thou art going away with thy opponent to the ruler, in the way give diligence to be released from him, lest he may drag thee unto the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and the officer may cast thee into prison;

Darby: For as thou goest with thine adverse party before a magistrate, strive in the way to be reconciled with him, lest he drag thee away to the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

ASV: For as thou art going with thine adversary before the magistrate, on the way give diligence to be quit of him; lest haply he drag thee unto the judge, and the judge shall deliver thee to the officer, and the officer shall cast thee into prison.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  thou goest  with  thine  adversary  to  the magistrate,  [as thou art] in  the way,  give  diligence  that thou mayest be delivered  from  him;  lest  he hale  thee  to  the judge,  and  the judge  deliver  thee  to the officer,  and  the officer  cast  thee  into  prison. 

What does Luke 12:58 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 12:49-59 - The Great Divider
As Prometheus, in the old Greek fable, brought fire from above in a reed, so Christ brought the fire of the Holy Spirit in the frail lantern of His humanity. But, first, He had to pass through a baptism of tears and blood. He was under pressure to enter it, because impatient to get through with it. Here was the prelude of Calvary. And what was true of our Lord must be true of His Church. Always the sword, always strife, always division, where the gospel begins to ferment like leaven in human hearts.
The signs of the time pointed to a climax of Hebrew history, for which most of His contemporaries were unprepared. The sands in God's hour-glass were running out. This was the great requirement of the hour-get right with God. The warning is applicable to us all, but it was specially spoken of the brief interval which, like the silence that precedes a thunder storm, preceded the fall of Jerusalem. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

Greek Commentary for Luke 12:58

Give diligence to be quit of him [δος εργασιαν απηλλαχται απ αυτου]
Second aorist active imperative δος — dos from διδωμι — didōmi Απηλλαχται — Apēllachthai perfect passive infinitive of απαλλασσω — apallassō an old verb common, but only twice in the N.T. (here and Acts 19:12). Used here in a legal sense and the tense emphasizes a state of completion, to be rid of him for good. [source]
Hale thee [κατασυρηι]
Drag down forcibly, old verb, only here in the N.T.To the officer (τωι πρακτορι — tōi praktori). The doer, the proctor, the exactor of fines, the executor of punishment. Old word, only here in the N.T. [source]
To the officer [τωι πρακτορι]
The doer, the proctor, the exactor of fines, the executor of punishment. Old word, only here in the N.T. [source]
When thou goest [ὡς γὰρ ὑπάγεις]
The A. V. does not translate γὰρ , for. Rev., correctly, for as thou art going. Their own judgment should show them the necessity of repentance toward God; and this duty is urged under the figure of a debtor who meets his creditor in the way, and whose best policy it is to make terms on the spot. [source]
As thou art in the way []
Emphatic, standing first in the Greek order: “On the way give diligence.” [source]
Hale [κατασύρῃ]
Drag. Compare haul. Only here in New Testament. [source]
Officer [κράκτορι]
From πράσσω , to effect or accomplish; to bring things to an issue, and hence to exact. The name praktor was given at Athens to an officer charged with the collection of taxes; hence an exactor, as Rev., in margin. Only here in New Testament. [source]
Mite [λεπτὸν]
See on Mark 12:42. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 12:58

Luke 19:8 If I have taken anything by false accusation [εἴ τι ἐσυκοφάντησα]
If - anything does not state a merely possible case, as if Zacchaeus were unconscious of any such extortion; but is a milder way of saying “Whatever I have taken.” See on Luke 3:14. It is an odd coincidence, nothing more, that the fig -mulberry (sycamore) should occur in connection with the fig -shewer (sycophant). It was common for the publicans to put a fictitious value on property or income, or to advance the tax to those unable to pay, and then to charge usurious interest on the private debt. On the harsh exaction of such debts, see Matthew 18:28; Luke 12:58. [source]
Luke 14:9 And say [και ερει]
Changes to future indicative with μη ποτε — mē pote as in Luke 12:58. [source]
Colossians 3:23 Ye do - do it [ποιῆτε - ἐργάζεσθε]
Rev., correctly, ye do - work; the latter being the stronger term as opposed to idleness. See on James 2:9. An idle man may do. Compare ἐργασία diligence Luke 12:58. [source]
Hebrews 2:15 And might deliver [και απαλλαχηι]
Further purpose with the first aorist active subjunctive of αππαλλασσω — appallassō old verb to change from, to set free from, in N.T. only here, Luke 12:58; Acts 19:12. Through fear of death Instrumental case of ποβος — phobos The ancients had great fear of death though the philosophers like Seneca argued against it. There is today a flippant attitude towards death with denial of the future life and rejection of God. But the author of Hebrews saw judgment after death (Hebrews 9:27.). Hence our need of Christ to break the power of sin and Satan in death. All their lifetime Present active infinitive with πας — pas and the article in the genitive case with δια — dia “through all the living.” Subject to bondage Old adjective from ενεχω — enechō “held in,” “bound to,” with genitive, bond-slaves of fear, a graphic picture. Jesus has the keys of life and death and said: “I am the life.” Thank God for that. [source]
James 2:6 Draw [ἕλκουσιν]
Not strong enough. The word implies violence. Hence, better, as Rev., drag. Compare Livy's phrase, “a lictoribus trahi, to be dragged by the lictors to judgment;” Acts 8:3, of Saul haling or hauling men and women to prison; and Luke 12:58. [source]
James 2:6 Oppress you [καταδυναστευουσιν υμων]
Not very common compound Examples in papyri of harsh treatment by men in authority. Already poor Christians are feeling pressure from rich Jews as overlords.Drag you (ελκουσιν υμας — helkousin humas). Old and vigorous word for violent treatment, as of Paul in Acts 16:19; Acts 21:30. Cf. such violence in Luke 12:58; Acts 8:3.Before the judgment-seats “To courts of justice” as in 1 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Corinthians 6:4 (only other N.T. examples). Common in the papyri in this sense. From κρινω — krinō to judge, κριτης — kritēs (judge), place where judgment is given. [source]
James 2:6 Drag you [ελκουσιν υμας]
Old and vigorous word for violent treatment, as of Paul in Acts 16:19; Acts 21:30. Cf. such violence in Luke 12:58; Acts 8:3. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 12:58 mean?

As for you are going with the adversary of you before a magistrate in the way give earnestness to be set free from him lest ever he should drag away you to the judge and the judge will deliver to the officer officer will cast into prison
ὡς γὰρ ὑπάγεις μετὰ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου σου ἐπ’ ἄρχοντα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ δὸς ἐργασίαν ἀπηλλάχθαι ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ μή‿ ποτε κατασύρῃ σε πρὸς τὸν κριτήν καὶ κριτής παραδώσει τῷ πράκτορι πράκτωρ βαλεῖ εἰς φυλακήν

ὑπάγεις  you  are  going 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
ἀντιδίκου  adversary 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀντίδικος  
Sense: opponent.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
ἐπ’  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
ἄρχοντα  a  magistrate 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄρχων  
Sense: a ruler, commander, chief, leader.
ὁδῷ  way 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὁδός 
Sense: properly.
δὸς  give 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
ἐργασίαν  earnestness 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐργασία  
Sense: a working, performing.
ἀπηλλάχθαι  to  be  set  free 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: ἀπαλλάσσω  
Sense: to remove, release, to be removed, to depart.
μή‿  lest 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
ποτε  ever 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: πότε  
Sense: when?, at what time?.
κατασύρῃ  he  should  drag  away 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κατασύρω  
Sense: to draw down, pull down.
κριτήν  judge 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κριτής  
Sense: one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything.
κριτής  judge 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κριτής  
Sense: one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything.
παραδώσει  will  deliver 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πράκτορι  officer 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: πράκτωρ  
Sense: one who does anything, a doer.
πράκτωρ  officer 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πράκτωρ  
Sense: one who does anything, a doer.
βαλεῖ  will  cast 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: βάλλω 
Sense: to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
φυλακήν  prison 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: φυλακή  
Sense: guard, watch.