Luke 17:9

9 He will not {be grateful} to the slave because he did what was ordered, [will he]?

Luke 17:9 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 17:9

Doth he thank that servant
As if he had done him a favour, and what he was not obliged to;

because he did the things that were commanded him?
for, as a servant, he ought to do them, and in so doing does but his duty: he may indeed be commended for it, but not thanked:

I trow not;
or "I think not"; it do not seem so to me, as if he would, or, as though it was proper and necessary he should. The Ethiopic version leaves out this last clause.

Luke 17:9 In-Context

7 "And which of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding [sheep] who comes in from the field will say to him, 'Come here at once [and] recline at the table'?

8 Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something that I may eat, and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and after these [things] you will eat and drink.'

9 He will not {be grateful} to the slave because he did what was ordered, [will he]?

10 Thus you also, when you have done all the {things you were ordered to do}, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done what we were obligated to do.'"

11 And it happened that while traveling toward Jerusalem, he was passing through {the region between} Samaria and Galilee.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "have gratitude"
• [b] *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated by "[will he]"