Luke 18:9He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
The setting
Judean countryside, ~30 AD. Luke sets up Jesus' next parable by identifying the target audience: the self-righteous...
The emotion here: carefully setting up Jesus' pointed teaching about pride
The original word
pepoithotes (πεποιθότες) — having convinced themselves, perfect tense showing settled confidence in their righteousness
Why it matters
Pharisees comprised only about 6,000 people but held enormous religious influence in first-century Judaism
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 18:9
Luke specifically names WHO this parable targets — those convinced of their own goodness
Common misconceptionPeople think this only applies to ancient Pharisees, missing that Jesus was targeting anyone who feels spiritually superior to others — including modern Christians.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 18:9
Bible Genome reading
Luke 18:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 18:9 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Luke. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include pride, self-righteousness. Notable phrases: convinced of their own righteousness; despised all others.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Luke 18:9 mean to you, today?
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