Luke 13:27 Meaning and Explanation
“But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The master will repeat that he does not know them, and command all workers of iniquity to depart from him.
What Does Luke 13:27 Mean?
The answer comes a second time, harder: I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. The sentence takes up the words of Psalm 6:8 and lays bare what the pleaded familiarity concealed — lives that stayed in iniquity while claiming acquaintance with the Lord.
To be known by Christ is the question beneath every other (compare Matthew 7:23; 1 Corinthians 8:3). What He looks for is not proximity but a life turned toward Him — the repentance this whole chapter has been urging. The verse is severe so that no one need ever hear it spoken; it is published beforehand precisely so that we might come now, and be known.
Luke 13:27 in the Original Language
adikia (ἀδικία), 'iniquity' -- unrighteousness, wrong done against what is just.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 13:27
What does Luke 13:27 mean?
The master will repeat that he does not know them, and command all workers of iniquity to depart from him.