Luke 5:31Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
The setting
Same house in Capernaum. Jesus turns from the feast to address the critics outside. Using a medical analogy everyone understood...
The emotion here: patient wisdom mixed with gentle firmness
The original word
iatros (ἰατρὸς) — physician, healer; Luke himself was a physician writing this
Why it matters
Luke was a doctor, making this medical metaphor especially meaningful to him personally
Read with care
What most readers miss in Luke 5:31
Jesus didn't deny that tax collectors were 'sick' — He acknowledged their need while showing His purpose
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus is calling the Pharisees 'healthy,' but He's actually exposing their spiritual blindness — truly healthy people recognize their need for God.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Luke 5:31
Bible Genome reading
Luke 5:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Luke 5:31 comes from the book of Luke, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include healing, need. Notable phrases: healthy have no need; physician; sick.
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 5:31 mean to you, today?
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