Luke 19:10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost."
The setting
Still in Zacchaeus's house in Jericho. Jesus explains His mission to the gathering crowd. This becomes His mission statement. Modern-day West Bank, Palestine.
The emotion here: passionate about his mission
The original word
apollymi (ἀπολωλὸς) — utterly destroyed, completely ruined, beyond hope of recovery
Why it matters
This is Jesus's clearest one-sentence summary of why He came to earth
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 19:10
The word 'came' implies He left somewhere else — this hints at His pre-existence in heaven
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about non-Christians. But Jesus seeks Christians who feel lost too — lost in depression, addiction, confusion about their calling.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 19:10
Bible Genome reading
Luke 19:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 19:10 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 95% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include mission, salvation. Notable phrases: Son of Man came to seek and to save; that which was lost. This verse contains a promise of God.
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 19:10 mean to you, today?
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