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)
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Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The words are severe because they address a danger close at hand: hearing Jesus, sharing meals near him, and still remaining unchanged. The verse calls us to consider what kind of relationship the Lord recognizes. It also keeps judgment personal. The issue is not a distant category of people; it is whether our lives receive his teaching, mercy, and summons to repentance.
Jesus warns that outward proximity to him and religious familiarity do not establish the living allegiance he recognizes. His final judgment exposes persistent iniquity and excludes those who refuse the way of his kingdom.
The Context of Luke 13:27
Jesus is traveling through cities and villages toward Jerusalem when someone asks whether only few will be saved. He turns the question into an urgent call to strive to enter through the strait gate. He pictures a householder shutting the door while people outside appeal to their past contact with him: they ate and drank in his presence, and he taught in their streets. Verse 27 repeats the householder's refusal with added clarity. The following verses describe sorrow at exclusion and the gathering of people from every direction into God's kingdom. Jesus later laments over Jerusalem's unwillingness to be gathered.
What Does Luke 13:27 Mean?
"But he shall say" continues the scene of the shut door and gives the master's settled answer. "I know you not whence ye are" concerns belonging and recognized origin, not a lack of information. The speaker knows every person in the ordinary sense. In this judgment scene, he does not acknowledge these petitioners as people whose lives show they have come from his household and received his rule. Their own appeal in the previous verse rests on public nearness: they saw him, heard him, and shared meals nearby. Jesus names a deeper matter. Familiarity with holy things does not itself become faithful fellowship with the Lord.
The command, "depart from me," reveals the terrible result of remaining outside the master's house. Jesus identifies those addressed as "all ye workers of iniquity." This phrase gives the reason their claim fails. Iniquity is not presented as a single stumble confessed and turned from; it describes a practiced course opposed to God's righteous will. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus calls hearers to repent rather than explain tragedy by ranking other people's sins. The parable of the fig tree also combines patience with the expectation of fruit. Luke 13:27 belongs to that same movement: God's forbearance is real, his invitation is serious, and the day of accountable response is real.
A close canonical echo appears in Jesus' warning about people who call him Lord and point to mighty works done in his name. There too he declares that he never knew workers of iniquity. The connection strengthens Luke's concern that words, association, and visible religious activity cannot replace doing the Father's will. Jesus speaks with the authority of the one who will acknowledge or dismiss people before God's kingdom. His journey toward Jerusalem gives this warning added weight. He is moving toward the place where he will be rejected, while still calling Jerusalem's children to come under his gathering care.
Luke 13:27 in the Original Language
ergatai (ἐργάται), 'workers' -- people characterized by doing or practicing; paired with 'iniquity,' the term describes an ongoing course of lawless action in Jesus' warning.
Bible Verses Related to Luke 13:27
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
- Matthew 7:23
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
- Luke 13:3
“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:”
- Luke 13:25
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
- 2 Timothy 2:19
Where Luke 13:27 Echoes in Scripture
Matthew 7:23 is the strongest later echo because Jesus again speaks of persons who appeal to their religious words and works, and he answers with a declaration of non-recognition and separation from workers of iniquity. The parallel confirms the point without reducing it to mere outward behavior. Jesus warns against a life that claims his name while continuing apart from the Father's will. Both passages direct attention to a real, obedient relationship with him.
How to Apply Luke 13:27 Today
This verse invites honest self-examination without encouraging despair or comparison with others. We can bring before God the places where our public words and private habits have drifted apart. Repentance includes turning from known wrongdoing, seeking reconciliation where we have harmed others, and receiving Jesus' teaching as a rule for daily conduct. Congregational life, family history, learning, and religious service are precious gifts when they lead us toward the Lord himself. We may ask for a heart that loves truth, welcomes correction, and bears the fruit for which God patiently cares.
Reflection & Prayer
Where might we be relying on familiarity with Christian words, settings, or memories while resisting a particular command of Jesus? Prayer: Lord Jesus, search our hearts with mercy. Teach us to repent truly, to forsake iniquity, and to live as people who welcome your rule. Keep us near you in the way that you recognize and sustain.