Luke 13:4

4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?

Luke 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 13:4

Or those eighteen
Men; the Persic version reads, "those twelve"; but all copies, and other versions, agree in this number:

upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them;
there was a pool near Jerusalem, called the Pool of Siloam, ( John 9:7 ) near, or over which, was a tower built, which fell down and killed eighteen men; very likely as they were purifying themselves in the pool, and so was a case very much like the other, and might be a very late one: and this Christ the rather observes, and puts them in mind of, that they might see that not Galileans only, whom they had in great contempt, but even inhabitants of Jerusalem, died violent deaths, and came to untimely ends; and yet, as not in the former case, so neither in this was it to be concluded from hence, that they were sinners of a greater size, or their state worse than that of other men:

think ye that they were sinners;
or debtors; for as sins are called debts, ( Matthew 6:12 ) so sinners are called debtors:

above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
there might be, and doubtless there were, as great, or greater sinners, in that holy city, and among such that made great pretensions to religion and holiness, as they were.

Luke 13:4 In-Context

2 To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way?

3 No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?

5 No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

6 Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.