Luke 10:38-42 · Bible study
Luke 10:38-42 Commentary: The One Thing Needed
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Jesus rebukes Martha's service and commends Mary's listening. Study the Greek words, cultural context, and meaning of this beloved passage.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus affirms attentive discipleship over anxious service; the essential need is to hear his word.
- Key words: περιεσπᾶτο (distracted/drawn away), μεριμνᾷς (anxious), θορυβάζῃ (troubled), χρεία (need), μερίδα (portion).
- Main debate: Whether “one thing is needful” refers to simple food or to hearing the gospel, most commentators favor the latter.
- Theological theme: The kingdom priority: relating to Christ takes precedence over even good works done for him.
- Best use: A corrective for activists and a comfort to those who long to know Christ more deeply.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
38As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His message.
40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things.
42But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.
40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
KJV King James Version 1769
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
38Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet, and heard his word.
40But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things:
42but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
38And it came to pass, in their going on, that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman, by name Martha, did receive him into her house,
39and she had also a sister, called Mary, who also, having seated herself beside the feet of Jesus, was hearing the word,
40and Martha was distracted about much serving, and having stood by him, she said, `Sir, dost thou not care that my sister left me alone to serve? say then to her, that she may partake along with me.'
41And Jesus answering said to her, `Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and disquieted about many things,
42but of one thing there is need, and Mary the good part did choose, that shall not be taken away from her.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
38And it came to pass as they went that he entered into a certain village; and a certain woman, Martha by name, received him into her house.
39And she had a sister called Mary, who also, having sat down at the feet of Jesus was listening to his word.
40Now Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she may help me.
41But Jesus answering said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things;
42but there is need of one, and Mary has chosen the good part, the which shall not be taken from her.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39And she had a sister called Mary. who, sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word.
40But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore, that she help me.
41And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things:
42But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 10:38
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree: Jesus does not condemn Martha’s hospitality or serving itself. The issue is her inner state. Martha was periespato, “distracted,” literally drawn away from Jesus (Vincent). Her many tasks pulled her attention from the one thing that matters. By contrast, Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet,” the posture of a disciple (Barnes, Clarke). She chose the “good part”, not a passive retreat, but active listening to the Lord’s word. Calvin insists this is not a promotion of contemplative idleness; rather, everything we do must be referred to Christ as the main object. The “one thing needful” is not a minimalist menu but the gospel itself (Gill, Barnes). Both sisters loved Jesus, but Martha’s love got tangled in worry (merimnas) and inner turmoil (thorubazē). Jesus’ repeated name, “Martha, Martha,” carries tenderness, not harshness (Cambridge Bible). The passage does not pit service against worship; it reminds us that without sitting at his feet, even our service can drift into anxious self-reliance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus values hearing his word above anxious preparation, and Mary’s choice to be his disciple is commended as the lasting portion.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Martha's fault | She was not wrong to serve; her sin was anxiety and distraction that pulled her from Jesus. | Some see a gentle rebuke; others see only a loving reminder. The tone is widely considered pastoral, not harsh. |
| The 'one thing' | It is not merely a single dish; it points to something of ultimate importance. | Some (Clarke, Gill) say it is hearing Christ's word; others (Calvin) say it is directing all life toward God; a few early interpreters took it literally as 'one dish'. |
| Mary's 'good part' | She chose what is eternal, being a disciple of Jesus. | Catholic tradition often saw this as the contemplative life; Reformation tradition stressed that all Christians must balance both. The text itself does not mandate a monastic retreat. |
| Service vs. worship | Both are necessary; this passage warns against letting service displace worship. | The degree to which Martha is criticized varies. Some argue her hospitality was generous, others that she was overbearing in her request. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The village is almost certainly Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem (John 11:1,18). Luke avoids naming it, likely to protect the family from the hostile Jewish authorities in nearby Jerusalem (Cambridge Bible). Martha is presented as the household head (she is the subject of hupedexato, “received under her roof,” Vincent). This suggests she may have been a widow or the elder sister responsible for the home. Mary’s act of “sitting at Jesus’ feet” mirrors the posture of a rabbinical student, a woman taking the place of a learner in a culture where women were not typically taught Scripture (Clarke, Barnes). Jesus was on his final journey toward Jerusalem, possibly for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7; Lange), making this visit one of his last opportunities to teach privately. The scene is domestic: Martha is busy with diakonian, serving, preparing a meal. But the verb periespato (from peri, “around,” and spaō, “to draw”) paints someone pulled in all directions, unable to center on Jesus (Vincent, Wesley). When she “came to him” (epistasa), the verb suggests she stopped suddenly in her hurry, bursting into the room (Cambridge). Her complaint uses an aorist verb katelipen, “she left me,” implying Mary had been helping but stopped to listen (Vincent). The cultural backdrop of women’s roles, hospitality honor, and the preciousness of Jesus’ itinerant teaching all converge. Martha’s impulse to serve was good; her anxiety made it a barrier to receiving what Jesus came to give, his word.
Textual Notes
The earliest Greek manuscripts (P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) support the shorter reading in verse 42: ἑνὸς δέ ἐστιν χρεία (“but one thing is needful”). A group of later manuscripts, including those underlying the King James Version, expand the phrase to read ὀλίγων δέ ἐστιν χρεία ἢ ἑνός (“few things are needed, or only one”). This variant likely arose to soften or explain the statement. The shorter reading is preferred by most modern editions, and the supplied commentaries (which focus on the “one thing” as the word of Christ) follow that sense. No other significant textual variants affect the interpretation of this passage.
Reception History
From the early church, this passage was used to differentiate the active life (Martha) from the contemplative life (Mary). Origen and later Gregory the Great praised Mary’s choice as the highest calling, encouraging monastic withdrawal. John Calvin strongly resisted this reading, arguing that Christ did not condemn Martha’s work but only her misplaced anxiety, and that all believers must hold both hearing and doing together. The passage became a touchstone in debates about the priority of Scripture reading over ritual service during the Reformation. In modern preaching, it is often applied to the tension between busyness and devotion in everyday discipleship, reminding Christians that even good works must flow from sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Two sisters, two responses to Jesus. Martha receives Jesus into her home and serves; Mary sits at his feet and listens. Both want to honor him, but they express it differently.
- Martha’s distraction exposed. Her serving becomes anxious and troubled (μεριμνᾷς, θορυβάζῃ). She accuses Jesus of not caring and demands Mary be sent to help. The problem is not work but worry that displaces Christ.
- Mary’s choice defended. Jesus says “one thing is needful” and Mary has “chosen the good part”, the word of life that will never be taken away. This is the lasting portion of discipleship.
Five-point outline
- Hospitality is good, Martha’s impulse to serve is not wrong. Jesus accepts her home and her work.
- Anxiety corrupts, Her serving becomes “cumbered” (περιεσπᾶτο), pulled away from the center. Inward worry breeds outward bustle.
- Comparison poisons, Her question to Jesus implies “you don’t care” and “my sister is wrong.” Service that resents others is no longer love.
- The Lord’s tender correction, The doubled name “Martha, Martha” is affectionate, not stern. Jesus sees her heart and redirects, not rejects.
- The one thing that lasts, Mary’s portion cannot be taken away. The word of Christ is eternal; material preparations pass.
Illustration hooks
- A host spends all party preparation frantic about the perfect table, then sits down so exhausted she cannot talk to guests. She missed the whole point of the gathering.
- A student faces two assignments: one urgent but trivial, one for a final exam that determines the grade. Busyness with the urgent can steal time from the essential.
- In a church kitchen, volunteers work to feed the congregation. But if no one stops to be fed by the sermon, the service becomes hollow.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this mean I shouldn’t serve? How do I know if my serving is from love or from anxiety?
- What exactly is “the one thing” that is needed?
- How do I balance my responsibilities, family, job, church, with sitting at Jesus’ feet?
Leading a Discussion
This story is not about choosing between worship and work. It is about choosing the posture from which all work flows. Before we serve Jesus, we must receive from him. In a culture that prizes productivity, Mary’s stillness can feel wasteful. Yet Jesus calls it necessary.
Discussion questions
- Read Luke 10:38-42. What do we learn about Martha’s character from the way she receives Jesus? What about Mary?
- The Greek word for “distracted” (περιεσπᾶτο) means “to be drawn around”, pulled in different directions. When have you felt this way? What was pulling you?
- Martha says “Lord, don’t you care?” Have you ever felt that God was not caring about your burdens? How did you respond?
- Jesus says “one thing is needful.” What do you think that “one thing” is? How does it relate to Matthew 6:33 or Psalm 27:4?
- Mary “chose the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” What are the “good parts” of life that can be taken away? What cannot be taken away?
- How can a busy person, with genuine responsibilities, also sit at Jesus’ feet? Is it about quantity of time or quality of attention?
- How might this story shape the way your small group or church balances planning, serving, and prayer? Is there a practical change you want to make?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Luke 8:2 | and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; |
| Luke 8:3 | and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them from their possessions. |
| John 11:1 | Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. |
| John 11:5 | Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. |
| John 11:19 | Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. |
| John 11:20 | Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. |
| John 12:1 | Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. |
| John 12:3 | Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the "one thing needful" is not salvation but a simple meal. Jesus rejects Martha's elaborate preparations, asking only for the plainest food. Clarke also defends Martha's character, insisting her anxious service was generous hospitality, not worldliness, and should not be condemned.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Martha's fault was not worldliness but an excessive, anxious care for hospitality, even toward Jesus himself. Mary's choice to sit as a disciple at his feet represents the one thing truly needful: attending to heavenly instruction rather than being distracted by domestic duties.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin warns against reading this passage as praise for a withdrawn contemplative life. Martha’s fault was not her work but letting it crowd out the one essential thing. He insists Christ does not dismiss all other duties, only that believers must keep everything subordinate to the chief object of serving God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools notes see the key point in Martha's "fret and fuss" rather than her hospitality itself. The rebuke targets her inward solicitude and outward hastiness, and especially her tendency to reprobate excellence of a different kind. The passage does not exalt one sister's disposition over the other; both may and ought to be combined.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the "one thing needful" as hearing Christ's word, the Gospel necessary for salvation—not merely a simple meal. He stresses that Mary's choice of this good portion was directed by God's grace, not her own will, and that this portion can never be lost or taken away.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws a clear contrast between two good ways of serving Christ: Mary chose the higher, spiritual attention to His word that will last forever, while Martha busied herself with elaborate preparations that, though loving, would pass away. Both sisters were true disciples, yet the one focused on the eternal, the other on the temporal. A church needs both types, each completing the other.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange resists reading Martha as worldly and Mary as spiritual. Both are devoted disciples, but Martha’s flaw lies in demanding that Mary serve her way instead of recognizing the higher value of sitting at Jesus’ feet in receptive faith. The one thing needful is the posture of receiving Christ Himself.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights Jesus' voluntary poverty and his decision to stay with ordinary friends rather than in his own home. He notes that Christ, though King of Zion, had no house and relied on hospitality, and that he honored small villages like Bethany by visiting them.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent points out that the Greek word for "was cumbered" means "drawn from around" — Martha's attention was scattered and pulled away from Jesus, not simply busy. He also distinguishes "anxious" (inward unease) from "troubled" (outward confusion and bustle).
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that the Greek word for Martha being encumbered means pulled in different directions at once, perfectly capturing her overwhelmed mind. The double address Martha, Martha carries unusual tenderness, while her anxiety is both inward and outward. Mary chose the good part, which is caring for her own soul.