Luke 13:32He said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.
The setting
Perea, ~30 AD. Jesus responds to death threat with defiant message for Herod, calling him 'fox' — cunning but ultimately powerless scavenger...
The emotion here: defiant courage mixed with prophetic awareness of His approaching death
The original word
alōpēx (ἀλώπηξ) — fox, symbol of cunning but also cowardice and feeding on scraps
Why it matters
Calling a ruler an animal was considered treasonous — punishable by death
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 13:32
'Third day' isn't random — it's Jesus' cryptic reference to His resurrection timeline
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus is being disrespectful, but He's using prophetic language to expose Herod's true powerlessness. The 'fox' isn't an insult — it's a revelation.
Bible Genome reading
Luke 13:32 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 13:32 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include determination, mission. Notable phrases: tell that fox; cast out demons; complete my mission. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 13:32 mean to you, today?
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