Luke 13:23One said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" He said to them,
The setting
A roadside teaching moment, ~30 AD. A concerned person interrupts Jesus's journey with the question that haunts every generation: 'Are most people going to hell?'
The emotion here: recording a moment of genuine human anxiety about eternal destiny
The original word
oligoi (ὀλίγοι) — few in number, the questioner's deep anxiety about salvation statistics
Why it matters
Jewish rabbis debated whether most or few would be saved in the age to come
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 13:23
This person asked about 'they' (others) but Jesus will redirect to 'you' (personal responsibility)
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about predestination or limited salvation, but the questioner is asking for numbers while avoiding personal commitment.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 13:23
Bible Genome reading
Luke 13:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 13:23 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include salvation, concern. Notable phrases: Lord; are they few who are saved.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Luke 13:23 mean to you, today?
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