The Meaning of Luke 7:25 Explained

Luke 7:25

KJV: But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

YLT: but what have ye gone forth to see? a man in soft garments clothed? lo, they in splendid apparellings, and living in luxury, are in the houses of kings!

Darby: But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in delicate garments? Behold, those who are in splendid clothing and live luxuriously are in the courts of kings.

ASV: But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings courts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  what  went ye out  for to see?  A man  clothed  in  soft  raiment?  Behold,  they which are  gorgeously  apparelled,  and  live  delicately,  are  in  kings' courts. 

What does Luke 7:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 7:24-35 - A Great Man And A Still Greater
The Master chose the moment of John's fainting fit to pass this high eulogium on the Baptist's stalwart character, his indifference to worldly bribes and his divine commission. When we write hard things against ourselves, He may be judging us with infinite tenderness and wisdom. Heaven does not estimate us by our passing moods. But the least believer in this Christian age has a clearer knowledge of Christ and a closer relationship to Him, than had the Baptist. He was a servant; we are brothers, sons, heirs, Romans 8:16-17.
If we will not accept the lower call of duty, as was manifested in the appeal of the Baptist, we shall never profit by Christ. Accept the dim light of the morning star and it will lead to the dawn.
It ill becomes us to observe the winds of human caprice. If we please one party, we shall displease the other. There is but one path through life, and that is to do the will of God, in which, as Dante puts it, is our peace. But the children of wisdom recognize her alike in the anxiety of the Baptist and in the graces of the Son of man. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 7

1  Jesus finds a greater faith in the centurion;
10  heals his servant, being absent;
11  raises from death the widow's son at Nain;
18  answers John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles;
24  testifies to the people what opinion he held of John;
31  compares this generation to the children in the marketplaces,
36  and allowing his feet to be washed and anointed by a woman who was a sinner,
44  he shows how he is a friend to sinners, to forgive them their sins, upon their repentance

Greek Commentary for Luke 7:25

Gorgeously apparelled [εν ιματισμωι ενδοχωι]
In splendid clothing. Here alone in this sense in the N.T. [source]
And live delicately [τρυπηι]
From τρυπτω — thruptō to break down, to enervate, an old word for luxurious living. See the verb τρυπαω — truphaō in James 5:5.In kings‘ courts (εν τοις βασιλειοις — en tois basileiois). Only here in the N.T. Matthew 11:8 has it “in kings‘ houses.” Luke 7:26, Luke 7:27 are precisely alike in Matthew 11:9, Matthew 11:10. See note on Matthew 11:9 for discussion. [source]
In kings‘ courts [εν τοις βασιλειοις]
Only here in the N.T. Matthew 11:8 has it “in kings‘ houses.” Luke 7:26, Luke 7:27 are precisely alike in Matthew 11:9, Matthew 11:10. See note on Matthew 11:9 for discussion. [source]
Gorgeously apparelled [ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ]
Lit., in splendid clothing. [source]
Live delicately [τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες]
Lit., are in luxury. On ὑπάρχοντες , are, see on James 2:15. On τρυφῇ , luxury, see on 2 Peter 2:13, the only other place where it occurs. Compare the kindred verb τρυφάω , to live in luxury, James 5:5. [source]
Kings' courts [βασιλείοις]
Only here in New Testament. Often rendered palaces. Sometimes, in later Greek, applied to a capital or royal city, a royal treasury, and a royal diadem. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 7:25

Ephesians 5:27 Glorious [ενδοχον]
Used of splendid clothing in Luke 7:25. Spot (σπιλος — spilos). Late word, in N.T. only here and 2 Peter 2:13, but σπιλοω — spiloō to defile in James 3:6; Judges 1:23. Wrinkle Old word from ρυω — ruō to contract, only here in N.T. But that it should be holy and without blemish (αλλ ινα ηι αγια και αμωμος — all' hina ēi hagia kai amōmos). Christ‘s goal for the church, his bride and his body, both negative purity and positive. [source]
James 5:5 Ye have lived delicately [ετρυπησατε]
First aorist (constative, summary) active indicative of τρυπαω — truphaō old verb from τρυπη — truphē (luxurious living as in Luke 7:25, from τρυπτω — thruptō to break down, to enervate), to lead a soft life, only here in N.T. [source]
2 Peter 2:13 As the hire of wrong-doing [μιστον αδικιας]
The Elephantine papyrus has the passive of αδικεω — adikeō in the sense of being defrauded, and that may be the idea here. Peter plays on words again here as often in 2 Peter. The picture proceeds now with participles like ηγουμενοι — hēgoumenoi (counting).Pleasure (ηδονην — hēdonēn). See James 4:1, James 4:3.To revel in the daytime “The in the daytime revel” (old word τρυπη — truphē from τρυπτω — thruptō to enervate, in N.T. only here and Luke 7:25).Spots (σπιλοι — spiloi). Old word for disfiguring spot, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 5:27.Blemishes Old word for blot (kin to μυω — muō), only here in N.T. See 1 Peter 1:19 for αμωμος και ασπιλος — amōmos kai aspilos Present active participle of εντρυπαω — entruphaō old compound for living in luxury, only here in N.T.In their love-feasts (εν ταις αγαπαις — en tais agapais). So B Sah, but Aleph A C K L P read απαταις — apatais (in their deceivings). If αγαπαις — agapais is genuine as it is in Judges 1:12, they are the only N.T. examples of this use of αγαπη — agapē they feast with you (συνευωχουμενοι — suneuōchoumenoi). Present passive participle of late and rare verb συνευωχεω — suneuōcheō (συν — sun together, and ευωχεω — euōcheō to feed abundantly) to entertain with. Clement of Alex. (Paed. ii. I. 6) applies ευωχια — euōchia to the αγαπη — agapē f0). [source]
2 Peter 2:13 To revel in the daytime [την εν ημεραι τρυπην]
“The in the daytime revel” (old word τρυπη — truphē from τρυπτω — thruptō to enervate, in N.T. only here and Luke 7:25).Spots (σπιλοι — spiloi). Old word for disfiguring spot, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 5:27.Blemishes Old word for blot (kin to μυω — muō), only here in N.T. See 1 Peter 1:19 for αμωμος και ασπιλος — amōmos kai aspilos Present active participle of εντρυπαω — entruphaō old compound for living in luxury, only here in N.T.In their love-feasts (εν ταις αγαπαις — en tais agapais). So B Sah, but Aleph A C K L P read απαταις — apatais (in their deceivings). If αγαπαις — agapais is genuine as it is in Judges 1:12, they are the only N.T. examples of this use of αγαπη — agapē they feast with you (συνευωχουμενοι — suneuōchoumenoi). Present passive participle of late and rare verb συνευωχεω — suneuōcheō (συν — sun together, and ευωχεω — euōcheō to feed abundantly) to entertain with. Clement of Alex. (Paed. ii. I. 6) applies ευωχια — euōchia to the αγαπη — agapē f0). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 7:25 mean?

But what have you gone out to see A man in fine clothing arrayed Behold those clothing splendid and in luxury living the palaces are
ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον ἰδοὺ οἱ ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες τοῖς βασιλείοις εἰσίν

ἐξήλθατε  have  you  gone  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
ἰδεῖν  to  see 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
ἄνθρωπον  A  man 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
μαλακοῖς  fine 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: μαλακός  
Sense: soft, soft to the touch.
ἱματίοις  clothing 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: ἱμάτιον  
Sense: a garment (of any sort).
ἠμφιεσμένον  arrayed 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀμφιέζω 
Sense: to put on, to clothe.
ἰδοὺ  Behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἱματισμῷ  clothing 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἱματισμός  
Sense: clothing, apparel.
ἐνδόξῳ  splendid 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἔνδοξος  
Sense: held in good or in great esteem, of high repute.
τρυφῇ  in  luxury 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: τρυφή  
Sense: softness, effeminate, luxurious living.
ὑπάρχοντες  living 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὑπάρχω  
Sense: to begin below, to make a beginning.
βασιλείοις  palaces 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: βασίλειος  
Sense: royal, kingly, regal.