Luke 18:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The tax collector stands at a distance, eyes down, beating his breast, and prays one sentence: God be merciful to me a sinner.
What Does Luke 18:13 Mean?
Everything about him answers the Pharisee point for point. He stands far off, unsure he belongs; he will not lift his eyes; he strikes his chest, the ancient gesture of grief and guilt. His prayer holds no comparisons and no credentials — only 'me a sinner,' as though he were the only sinner in the world.
And his plea is not that God overlook his sin but that God deal with it — he prays in the place of sacrifice, asking for the mercy that meets sin there. It is the prayer anyone can pray, from anywhere, with nothing in hand. In this story it is the only prayer God answers.
Luke 18:13 in the Original Language
hilaskomai (ἱλάσκομαι), 'be merciful' -- to show mercy; akin to the word for the mercy seat, the place of atonement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 18:13
What does Luke 18:13 mean?
The tax collector stands at a distance, eyes down, beating his breast, and prays one sentence: God be merciful to me a sinner.