Luke 3:8 Meaning and Explanation
“Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →John demands fruit worthy of repentance and strips away the crowd's confidence in descent from Abraham, for God can raise up children to Abraham from the stones.
What Does Luke 3:8 Mean?
Still preaching at the river, John names the refuge his hearers were already reaching for: we have Abraham to our father. Covenant ancestry was their assurance that judgment must surely pass them by.
Real repentance bears fruit you can pick up and weigh: changed conduct, mended dealings, renewed mercy. Lineage, even the holiest, cannot substitute for it, since the God who formed Adam from dust can make heirs of Abraham from riverbank stones. No one is saved by a borrowed root, and no one is barred for lacking one. The family of faith stands open to all who turn, and the proof of turning is what the life now grows.
Luke 3:8 in the Original Language
axios (ἄξιος), 'worthy' -- of matching weight; fruit heavy enough to balance the repentance professed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 3:8
What does Luke 3:8 mean?
John demands fruit worthy of repentance and strips away the crowd's confidence in descent from Abraham, for God can raise up children to Abraham from the stones.