“There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger”
The full verse · Luke 17:18 · KJV
There that to to , .
Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, who had sent ten lepers to the priests and as they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14)
Asked to
Disciples: "the disciples" (Luke 17:1, 22), whom Luke places with Jesus before and after this scene; the verse names no hearer, and Jesus speaks of the Samaritan as "this stranger" before turning to him (Luke 17:18-19)
The Scene
Of ten lepers cleansed on the way to the priests, only one, a Samaritan, has come back to fall at Jesus' feet and thank Him (Luke 17:15-17).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus has just asked, "where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17). Now He states the plain and surprising fact: the only one who came back to give glory to God was "this stranger." The KJV prints it as a statement; the ESV prints it as a question, "Was no one found...?" Either way, Jesus is pointing to who returned. Barnes calls him the man "who might have been least expected to express gratitude to God." Gill explains why Jesus calls him a stranger: the Samaritans were reckoned by the Jews "even as the Gentile, aliens from the commonwealth, of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise." Matthew Henry puts the contrast bluntly: "A Samaritan gives thanks, and a Jew does not."
The Response
What Scripture recordsNo one answers; the man fallen at Jesus' feet is the answer (Luke 17:16). Jesus then speaks directly to him: "Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole" (Luke 17:19). The outsider who came back leaves with Jesus' word of blessing.
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsThe word "stranger" translates allogenes, which Thayer defines as "sprung from another race, a foreigner, alien." It appears only here in the New Testament. Barnes says the Jews "considered the Samaritans as especially wicked, and themselves as especially holy." Luke has already shown this divide: a Samaritan village would not receive Jesus because He was headed for Jerusalem (Luke 9:52-53).
The Greek of Luke 17:18 has no word that marks a question, so translators decide from context. The KJV translators read it as a statement; the ESV translators read it as a question.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyJesus' words show that God's mercy reaches past the lines people draw. Ten were healed; the one who returned was the one others would have counted an outsider. Barnes says one design of this "seems to have been to break down the opposition between the Jews and Samaritans." He adds that "The most unlikely characters are often found to be most consistent and grateful."
Luke tells a parable with the same surprise. In Luke 10:33 it is "a certain Samaritan" who shows mercy, and Barnes connects the two stories. In both, the one people expected least is the one who shows what a right response to God looks like.
Look Closer
What does Jesus call the man who returned?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Father, You welcomed the stranger who came back to thank You; who are the people I overlook that might be showing me how to give You glory?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Whom do you tend to expect the least from spiritually? What shapes that expectation?
- Share about a time someone outside your usual circle showed you what gratitude to God looks like.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Being close to religious privilege does not guarantee a thankful heart. The one who returned was the one others would have kept at a distance. Let that humble you, and let it open your eyes to faith in unexpected people.
This is not a reason to look down on "the nine" or on anyone who seems to have forgotten. Jesus' words invite you to be the one who returns. Watch for the outsiders God is drawing near, and learn from their gratitude.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources