The Meaning of Luke 12:9 Explained

Luke 12:9

KJV: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

YLT: and he who hath denied me before men, shall be denied before the messengers of God,

Darby: but he that shall have denied me before men shall be denied before the angels of God;

ASV: but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  he that denieth  me  before  men  shall be denied  before  the angels  of God. 

What does Luke 12:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 12:1-12 - The Secret Of Fearlessness
The program of this paragraph seems dark. The leaven of evil always at work; the body tortured and killed; confession difficult, denial easy; the trials before synagogues and rulers; the anxiety of witnessing a good confession. The Lord never hesitated in stating the heavy tribulation through which His disciples must come to the Kingdom.
But what infinite compensations! Not forgotten by God; our hairs numbered; confessed before the angels; taught how to speak; all sin forgiven! With such comforts, who of us need fear, except only the power of Satan! What infinite sympathy and care our Father has for us! He knows our sorrows, marks every lurch of the boat, and will supply His gracious comfort and help. Why should we flinch before a world in arms, so long as the Son of man stands for us, as He did for Stephen, at "the right hand of God?" The outward man may decay, but the inward man is renewed day by day. [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 12:9

Shall be denied [απαρνητησεται]
First future passive of the compound verb απαρνεομαι — aparneomai Here Matthew 10:33 has αρνησομαι — arnēsomai simply. Instead of “in the presence of the angels of God” (εμπροστεν των αγγελων του τεου — emprosthen tōn aggelōn tou theou) Matthew 10:33 has “before my Father who is in heaven.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 12:9

Colossians 1:22 In His sight [κατεώπιον αὐοτῦ]
Rev., before Him. Him refers to God, not Christ. Whether the reference is to God's future judgment or to His present approval, can hardly be determined by the almost unexceptional usage of κατενώπιον beforein the latter sense, as is unquestionably the case in Ephesians 1:4. The simple ἐνώπιον beforeis used in the former sense, Luke 12:9. Ἔμπροσθεν beforeoccurs in both senses. The reference to the future judgment seems the more natural as marking the consummation of the redemptive work described in Colossians 1:20-22. Compare 1 Thessalonians 3:13, and Ephesians 5:27, which corresponds with the figure of the bride, the Lamb's wife, in Revelation 21:9sqq. This view is further warranted by the following words, if ye continue, etc., the final presentation being dependent on steadfastness. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 12:9 mean?

the [one] now having denied Me before - men will be denied the angels - of God
δὲ ἀρνησάμενός με ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπαρνηθήσεται τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ Θεοῦ

  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀρνησάμενός  having  denied 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐνώπιον  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐνώπιον  
Sense: in the presence of, before.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπων  men 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἀπαρνηθήσεται  will  be  denied 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπαρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.
ἀγγέλων  angels 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄγγελος  
Sense: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.