Luke 5:32

5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 3:3

3:3 He went into all the region around the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.


sn I have not come is another commission statement by Jesus; see 4:43-44.

sn Though parallels exist to this saying (Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17), only Luke has this last phrase but sinners to repentance. Repentance is a frequent topic in Luke’s Gospel: 3:3, 8; 13:1-5; 15:7, 10; 16:30; 17:3-4; 24:47.

tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.

sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it (Luke 3:10-14).