Luke 19:21

Good News Translation

I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what is not yours and reap what you did not plant.'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
because I was afraid of you since you’re a harsh man: you collect what you didn’t deposit and reap what you didn’t sow.’

King James Version (1611)
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest vp that thou layedst not downe, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

King James Version
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

English Standard Version
for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'

New American Standard Bible
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.'

New Century Version
I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You even take money that you didn't earn and gather food that you didn't plant.'

Amplified Bible
'I was [always] afraid of you, because you are a stern man; you pick up what you did not lay down and you reap what you did not sow.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.'

Legacy Standard Bible
for I was afraid of you, because you are a strict man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.'

Berean Standard Bible
For I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.'

Contemporary English Version
You are a hard man, and I was afraid of you. You take what isn't yours, and you harvest crops you didn't plant."

Complete Jewish Bible
because I was afraid of you — you take out what you didn't put in, and you harvest what you didn't plant.'

Darby Translation
For I feared thee because thou art a harsh man: thou takest up what thou hast not laid down, and thou reapest what thou hast not sowed.

Easy-to-Read Version
I was afraid of you because you are a hard man. You even take money that you didn't earn and gather food that you didn't grow.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
For I feared thee, because thou art a straight man: thou takest vp, that thou layedst not downe, and reapest that thou diddest not sowe.

George Lamsa Translation
For I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you pick up what you have not laid down, and you reap what you have not sown.

Lexham English Bible
For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man—you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!'

Literal Translation
For I feared you, because you are an exacting man, taking what you did not lay down, and reaping what you did not sow.

American Standard Version
for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow.

Bible in Basic English
Because I was in fear of you, for you are a hard man: you take up what you have not put down, and get in grain where you have not put seed.

Hebrew Names Version
for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn't lay down, and reap that which you didn't sow.'

International Standard Version
because I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You withdraw what you didn't deposit and harvest what you didn't plant.'Matthew 25:24;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For I feared thee, because thou art a hard man, taking up what thou hadst not laid down, and reaping what thou sowedst not.

Murdock Translation
For I was afraid of thee, because thou art a hard man, and takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou sowedst not.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I feared thee, because thou art a strayte man: Thou takest vp that thou laydest not downe, & reapest that thou dyddest not sowe.

English Revised Version
for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

World English Bible
for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn't lay down, and reap that which you didn't sow.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou layest not down, and reapest what thou didst not sow.

Weymouth's New Testament
For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y dredde thee, for thou art `a sterne man; thou takist awey that that thou settidist not, and thou repist that that thou hast not sowun.

Update Bible Version
for I feared you, because you are an austere man: you take up that which you did not lay down, and reap that which you did not sow.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou layedst not down, and reapest what thou didst not sow.

New English Translation
For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.'

New King James Version
For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'

New Living Translation
I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.'

New Life Bible
I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take what you have not put down. You gather where you have not planted.'

New Revised Standard
for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For I was afraid of thee, because, a harsh man, thou art, - Thou takest up, what thou layedst not down, and reapest, what thou sowedst not!

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down: and thou reapest that which thou didst not sow.

Revised Standard Version
for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
for I feared the because thou arte a strayte man: thou takest vp that thou laydest not doune and repest that thou dyddest not sowe.

Young's Literal Translation
for I was afraid of thee, because thou art an austere man; thou takest up what thou didst not lay down, and reapest what thou didst not sow.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I was afrayed of the, for thou art an harde man, thou takest vp yt thou hast not layed downe, and reapest that thou hast not sowne.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for I was in fear of you, knowing you to be a hard master, who exact what you never gave, and reap where you have never sown.

Simplified Cowboy Version
I didn't want to make you mad because you take credit for what you didn't do and ride horses that you didn't start.'

Contextual Overview

¹¹ While the people were listening to this, Jesus continued and told them a parable. He was now almost at Jerusalem, and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was just about to appear. ¹² So he said, "There was once a man of high rank who was going to a country far away to be made king, after which he planned to come back home. ¹³ Before he left, he called his ten servants and gave them each a gold coin and told them, ‘See what you can earn with this while I am gone.' ¹⁴ Now, his own people hated him, and so they sent messengers after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.' ¹⁵ "The man was made king and came back. At once he ordered his servants to appear before him, in order to find out how much they had earned. ¹⁶ The first one came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned ten gold coins with the one you gave me.' ¹⁷ ‘Well done,' he said; ‘you are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities.' ¹⁸ The second servant came and said, ‘Sir, I have earned five gold coins with the one you gave me.' ¹⁹ To this one he said, ‘You will be in charge of five cities.' ²⁰ Another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it hidden in a handkerchief.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I feared: Exodus 20:19, Exodus 20:20, 1 Samuel 12:20, Matthew 25:24, Matthew 25:25, Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7, James 2:10, 1 John 4:18

because: 1 Samuel 6:19-21, 2 Samuel 6:9-11, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Ezekiel 18:25-29, Malachi 3:14, Malachi 3:15, Romans 8:7, Jude 1:15

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:27 - The Lord hated us Ezekiel 33:17 - General Luke 15:29 - yet Luke 16:2 - for John 4:37 - One

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it."

Genesis 12:2
I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.

Genesis 18:24
If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won't you spare it in order to save the fifty?

Genesis 19:8
Look, I have two daughters who are still virgins. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want with them. But don't do anything to these men; they are guests in my house, and I must protect them."

Genesis 19:9
But they said, "Get out of our way, you foreigner! Who are you to tell us what to do? Out of our way, or we will treat you worse than them." They pushed Lot back and moved up to break down the door.

Genesis 19:15
At dawn the angels tried to make Lot hurry. "Quick!" they said. "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out, so that you will not lose your lives when the city is destroyed."

Genesis 19:16
Lot hesitated. The Lord , however, had pity on him; so the men took him, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.

Psalms 34:15
The Lord watches over the righteous and listens to their cries;

Psalms 102:17
He will hear his forsaken people and listen to their prayer.

Psalms 145:19
He supplies the needs of those who honor him; he hears their cries and saves them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I feared thee,.... Not with a right fear, with a fear of his goodness, who had bestowed such an excellent gift on him; for this would have taught him to have departed from evil, and have put him on doing his master's will, and making use of his gift to his glory: his fear was not of the right kind, and was ill grounded, as appears by what follows:

because thou art an austere man; cruel and uncompassionate to his servants, and hard to be pleased; than which nothing is more false, since it is evident, that Christ is compassionate both to the bodies and souls of men; is a merciful high priest, and is one that has compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way, and cannot but be touched with the feeling of his people's infirmities; and is mild and gentle in his whole deportment, and in all his administrations:

thou takest up that thou layest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow; suggesting, that he was covetous of that which did not belong to him, and withheld what was due to his servants, and rigorously exacted service that could not be performed; a most iniquitous charge, since none so liberal as he, giving gifts, grace and glory, freely; imposing no grievous commands on men; his yoke being easy, and his burden light; never sending a man to a warfare at his own charge; but always giving grace and strength proportionable to the service he calls to, and rewarding his servants in a most bountiful manner, infinitely beyond their deserts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An austere man - Hard, severe, oppressive. The word is commonly applied to unripe fruit, and means “sour,” unpleasant; harsh. In this case it means that the man was taking every advantage, and, while “he” lived in idleness, was making his living out of the toils of others.

Thou takest up ... - Thou dost exact of others what thou didst not give. The phrase is applied to a man who “finds” what has been lost by another, and keeps it himself, and refuses to return it to the owner. All this is designed to show the sinner’s view of God. He regards him as unjust, demanding more than man has “power” to render, and more, therefore, than God has a “right” to demand. See the notes at Matthew 25:24.