Luke 7:29 Meaning and Explanation
“And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The common people and tax collectors, who had received John's baptism, acknowledge God's way as right.
What Does Luke 7:29 Mean?
Luke pauses to mark the divide Jesus' words expose. The ordinary people and even the publicans — tax collectors, the most despised of men — "justified God": they declared Him right, having submitted to John's baptism of repentance.
To justify God is to take His side against your own — to agree, in repentance, that His verdict and His way are just. The least respectable hearers did exactly that at the Jordan, and so were ready to receive the One John announced. Receptivity to Christ is built by honest repentance; those who have admitted their need recognize their Redeemer when He comes.
Luke 7:29 in the Original Language
dikaioo (δικαιόω), 'justified' -- to declare righteous, to acknowledge as just.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 7:29
What does Luke 7:29 mean?
The common people and tax collectors, who had received John's baptism, acknowledge God's way as right.