Luke 9:56

56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.

Luke 9:56 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:56

For the son of man
Meaning himself, in his state of humiliation:

is not come to destroy men's lives;
the word "men's" is omitted in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions: and both words, "men's lives", are left out in the Arabic version:

but to save them;
as they might easily observe, by his casting out devils from the bodies of men, and healing all sorts of diseases: and therefore, though it was agreeably to the legal dispensation, and the times of Elijah, to punish offenders in such a manner, it was not agreeably to the Gospel dispensation, and to the ends of the Messiah's coming into the world: so far in this verse, and the latter part of the former verse, are left out in five ancient copies of Beza's, and in the Ethiopic version, but are in the rest of the Eastern versions, and in other copies, and are rightly retained:

and they went to another village;
in Samaria, more civil and courteous, and less prejudiced, and where they got lodging and entertainment.

Luke 9:56 In-Context

54 And his disciples James and John having seen, said, `Sir, wilt thou [that] we may command fire to come down from the heaven, and to consume them, as also Elijah did?'

55 and having turned, he rebuked them, and said, `Ye have not known of what spirit ye are;

56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save;' and they went on to another village.

57 And it came to pass, as they are going on in the way, a certain one said unto him, `I will follow thee wherever thou mayest go, sir;'

58 and Jesus said to him, `The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the heaven places of rest, but the Son of Man hath not where he may recline the head.'