Luke 14:14 · Bible study
Luke 14:14 Commentary: Repaid at the Resurrection of the Righteous
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Luke 14:14: Jesus on blessing the poor, God's repayment, and the resurrection of the righteous. Commentary, Greek, and application.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus promises that hospitality to the poor, done without expectation of return, will be blessed by God at the resurrection of the righteous.
- Key words: antapodothēsetai (will be recompensed), future passive, God as giver; anastasei (resurrection), the great hope; dikaiōn (righteous), those counted just by God.
- Main debate: Whether “resurrection of the righteous” refers to a separate first resurrection or the general resurrection as experienced by the just; and whether the recompense is a reward for works or a gracious blessing.
- Theological theme: A divinely reordered economy of generosity, where the poor become the means of God’s blessing and the resurrection is the time of final repayment.
- Best use: Teaching on Christian hospitality, giving, and eschatological hope; small-group discussion on practical mercy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and happy thou shalt be, because they have not to recompense thee, for it shall be recompensed to thee in the rising again of the righteous.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and thou shalt be blessed; for they have not [the means] to recompense thee; for it shall be recompensed thee in the resurrection of the just.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense: for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y serás bienaventurado; porque no te pueden retribuir; mas te será recompensado en la resurrección de los justos.
E serás bem-aventurado, porque não eles não têm como te recompensar; pois tu serás recompensado na ressurreição dos justos.
Et tu seras heureux de ce qu’ ils ne peuvent pas te rendre la pareille; car elle te sera rendue à la résurrection des justes.
so bist du selig; denn sie haben' s dir nicht zu vergelten, es wird dir aber vergolten werden in der Auferstehung der Gerechten.
En gij zult zalig zijn, omdat zij niet hebben, om u te vergelden; want het zal u vergolden worden in de opstanding der rechtvaardigen.
e sarai beato, perché non hanno modo di rendertene il contraccambio; ma il contraccambio ti sarà reso alla risurrezione de’ giusti.
A będziesz błogosławionym; bo nie mają tobie czem nagrodzić, ale ci będzie nagrodzono przy zmartwychwstaniu sprawiedliwych.
и блажен будешь, что они не могут воздать тебе, ибо воздастся тебе в воскресение праведных.
因為 他們沒 有 甚麼可報答 你。到 義人 復活的時候， 你 要得著報答。」
And you will have a blessing, because they will not be able to give you any payment, and you will get your reward when the upright come back from the dead.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 14:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Jesus here pronounces a blessing on those who show hospitality to the poor without expecting anything in return. The Greek verb antapodothēsetai (future passive indicative) means “it will be recompensed,” with God as the implied agent. Adam Clarke notes that because the poor cannot repay, God considers Himself the debtor. Gill and Barnes add that the blessing includes both present happiness in doing good and future reward at the resurrection. The phrase “resurrection of the righteous” is taken by most to mean the resurrection in which the righteous share, whether that is a distinct event (the “first resurrection,” as Gill suggests) or simply the general resurrection as it applies to the just (Cambridge Bible). Calvin stresses that those who give only for earthly gain have no reward from God; true liberality looks to God alone. All agree that the motive is disinterested love for the needy, and that the final repayment is God’s gracious act.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Two-stage resurrection view: ‘Resurrection of the righteous’ implies a distinct resurrection for believers before the general resurrection (Gill cites Revelation 20:5-6; Luke 20:35).
- General resurrection view: The resurrection includes both righteous and wicked (Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15), but the phrase describes the resurrection as it benefits the just.
- Recompense as reward for works: Good deeds done to the poor are recompensed by God as a reward, based on Matthew 10:42; 25:34-40 (Barnes, Clarke).
- Recompense as gracious gift: The recompense is not earned but flows from God’s grace to those who serve the poor in faith; it is a blessing, not a wage (Calvin).
What is clear: All Christians agree that Jesus commands hospitality to the poor without expecting earthly return, and that God will bless such deeds at the resurrection.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'resurrection of the righteous' | The resurrection is a real, future event in which the righteous share; God repays those who have cared for the poor. | Some interpret this as a specific 'first resurrection' of believers only (Gill, noting Revelation 20:5-6). Others see it as the general resurrection, with 'of the righteous' describing the outcome for those who are justified (Cambridge Bible). |
| Nature of the recompense | The recompense is from God, not from human beings, and is tied to the resurrection. | Arminian and Wesleyan traditions (Clarke, Wesley) tend to see the recompense as a reward for good works done from love. Reformed voices (Calvin) emphasize that the reward is a gracious blessing flowing from faith, not a wage earned. |
| Can the poor 'recompense' at all? | The poor cannot repay materially or socially, so the giver’s motives are tested. | Some note that the poor can repay with prayer and gratitude (Gill). Others argue that Jesus means they have no means to return the favour, which is what makes the act purely gracious. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse falls within a longer episode set at a Sabbath meal in the house of a leading Pharisee (Lk 14:1). Jesus has just healed a man with dropsy and then addressed the guests’ choice of seats, teaching humility (vv.7-11). Now he turns to his host and challenges the standard reciprocity of ancient hospitality. In Jewish culture, banquets were key arenas for maintaining honour and social bonds. Inviting friends, relatives, and wealthy neighbours created a cycle of return invitations. The poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind (v.13) could not reciprocate; to invite them was considered shameful and economically pointless. Jesus overturns this by promising God’s own recompense.
The phrase “resurrection of the righteous” draws on Second Temple Jewish hope. Pharisees believed in a future resurrection of the dead for reward or punishment (cf. Acts 23:8). Daniel 12:2-3 speaks of some awakening to everlasting life and others to shame. Jesus’ wording is striking: he does not say “the resurrection of all,” but specifically “of the righteous.” This could reflect a widespread apocalyptic belief in a two-stage resurrection (the righteous first, then the wicked at a later judgment). Luke 20:35 shows Jesus referring to “those who are considered worthy to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead,” suggesting some sense of distinction. At the same time, 1 Corinthians 15:23 speaks of Christ as firstfruits, then those who belong to him at his coming. The eschatological banquet mentioned by a fellow guest (v.15) ties the passage to the messianic feast, where God’s final reward is fully realised.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical sources note no significant manuscript variants for Luke 14:14. The Greek text is stable across the major traditions. The future passive antapodothēsetai appears consistently, and the phrase “resurrection of the righteous” is uniform.
Reception History
From the early church, this verse was used to encourage almsgiving as a preparation for the resurrection. Ambrose and Chrysostom referenced it in homilies on charity. Medieval theologians regularly cited it when discussing the works of mercy and the reward of the blessed at the last judgment. Reformation-era commentators such as Calvin and the Geneva Bible stressed that the recompense is a gracious promise rather than a wage of debt. In the Wesleyan revival, Luke 14:14 was a key text for teaching that good works done for the poor are a response to grace and will be rewarded at the resurrection. Adam Clarke, in his Methodist commentary, used the verse to connect charity with the hope of the righteous resurrection. Across traditions, the verse has been sung in hymns of refuge and preached as a call to radical hospitality.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Invitation without expectation (vv.12-14a): Jesus calls his followers to extend hospitality to those who cannot return the favour. The focus is not on the size of the gift but on the heart that seeks no earthly repayment.
- Blessing in the present (v.14a): “You will be blessed.” Barnes notes the joy that comes from the act of doing good, a happiness richer than material gain. The blessing is both immediate and God-given.
- Recompense at the resurrection (v.14b): The final repayment comes not from human hands but from God. The resurrection of the righteous is the horizon of hope; what we do for the needy now is stored up for that day.
Five-Point Outline
- The problem of reciprocal hospitality (v.12)
- The radical guest list (v.13)
- The present blessing (v.14a)
- The future recompense (v.14b)
- The eschatological banquet as context (v.15)
Illustration Hooks
- A family chooses to host a weekly dinner for homeless neighbours at a local shelter. They receive no thank-you notes or return invitations, but they speak of a deep sense of purpose. This verse names that experience as “blessed.”
- In many cultures, gift-giving is governed by strict expectations of return. Jesus’ teaching disrupts that economy, introducing a new pattern, one that mirrors God’s own generosity to those who cannot earn it.
- A congregation supports a food pantry. Volunteers rarely see the people they serve again. Luke 14:14 reminds them that the repayment they are not getting now will come in full on the last day.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this mean I have to invite everybody into my home? Or is this about the posture of heart toward the poor?
- If I give to the poor expecting a reward in heaven, isn’t that still self-interested? How is that different from expecting a return on earth?
- What happens to those who never hear this teaching or who do good works without faith? Does “resurrection of the righteous” imply some are not raised?
Leading a Discussion
This passage pushes us to examine whom we include in our circle of care. Jesus is not against hosting friends, he is against a system that measures every gift against what might come back. The promise of resurrection recompense frees us to give without calculation.
Discussion Questions
- Read Luke 14:12-14. What does Jesus’ contrast between “friends, brothers, kinsmen, rich neighbours” and “the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind” reveal about social expectations in his day?
- The word “recompense” (Greek antapodidōmi) appears twice in verse 14. How does the first occurrence (from people) differ from the second (from God)?
- Jesus says they “cannot recompense you.” In what sense is that inability a blessing? How does it change the motivation for giving?
- What do you think Jesus means by “the resurrection of the righteous”? Does he imply that some will not be raised, or that the resurrection has a different character for the righteous? (See Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15.)
- How does the promise of being “repaid” at the resurrection square with the idea that salvation is by grace? Is this reward earned, or is it a gift?
- Identify one “poor, maimed, lame, or blind” person or group in your community. What would it look like to extend hospitality to them without expecting anything back?
- How might this teaching reshape your congregation’s budget, events, or personal habits of generosity?
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)
| Proverbs 19:17 | He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. |
| Daniel 12:2 | Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. |
| Daniel 12:3 | Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever. |
| Matthew 6:4 | so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. |
| Matthew 10:41 | He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. |
| Matthew 10:42 | Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.” |
| Matthew 25:34 | Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; |
| Matthew 25:40 | “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes a double blessing: the act of helping the poor brings immediate happiness, and God will reward it at the resurrection of the just. Since the poor cannot repay you, your kindness shows a genuine desire to do good, not a hope of return.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Christ promises blessing only to those who give without any thought of earthly return, because their generosity is directed toward God alone. Those motivated by personal gain or public praise have no rightful claim to divine reward.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that Jesus' phrase "resurrection of the just" might point to a separate resurrection for the righteous, as hinted in other passages about a twofold resurrection. Alternatively, the reference could be more general, simply meaning the resurrection in which the just are included.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that the blessing comes from giving to those who cannot repay you. The reward is not lost but simply deferred; you will be fully recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the poor cannot repay a kindness the way wealthy guests can, so the giver gains nothing back in this life. Yet God ensures full recompense at the resurrection of the just, when acts of mercy to Christ's poor members are specifically remembered.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
blessed —acting from disinterested, god-like compassion for the wretched.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes the malicious intention behind the Pharisee’s hospitality: the dropsical man was deliberately placed there to trap Jesus. He also notes the Saviour’s inner state, a melancholy joy that impelled Him to accept this dangerous honor, and how Jesus reveals both His pure humanity and divine greatness at the social table.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights that Jesus turned everyday table conversation into an opportunity for spiritual instruction, even when surrounded by hostile observers. Unlike David, who kept silent among the wicked, Jesus used the occasion to teach humility and generosity, showing that no social setting is wasted for godly edification.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the bystander's exclamation about eating bread in God's kingdom directly alludes to Jesus' preceding words. He interprets the saying as referring specifically to those who share in the resurrection of the just, tying the blessing to the hope of the righteous at that future event.