Luke 4:25

23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.
KJV
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
WEB
But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.
ASV
But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;
DARBY
But of a truth I say to you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, so that a great famine came upon all the land,
BLB
And in truth I say to you⁺, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came upon all the land.
ÅB
Og i sannhet sier jeg dere: Det var mange enker i Israel i Elias' dager, dengang da himmelen ble lukket for tre år og seks måneder, da det ble en stor hunger over hele landet,
OTB
Jeg forsikrer dere om at det var mange enker i Israel på Elias’ tid, da himmelen var lukket i tre år og seks måneder og det var en stor hungersnød i hele landet.
B1930
Og i sannhet sier jeg eder: Det var mange enker i Israel i Elias' dager, dengang da himmelen blev lukket for tre år og seks måneder, da det blev en stor hunger over hele landet,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • James 5:17

    Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 17:1

    And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 20:15

    Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 18:1–2

    And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

    Read in context
  • Mark 7:26–29

    The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 55:8

    For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

    Read in context
  • Romans 9:15

    For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

    Read in context
  • Luke 10:21

    In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

    Read in context