Luke 10:42
New International Version
but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

New Living Translation
There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

English Standard Version
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Berean Standard Bible
But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Berean Literal Bible
but one thing is necessary, only one; for Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

King James Bible
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

New King James Version
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

New American Standard Bible
but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

NASB 1995
but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

NASB 1977
but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Legacy Standard Bible
but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Amplified Bible
but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.”

Christian Standard Bible
but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

American Standard Version
but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“But one thing is necessary; Maryam has chosen that good part for herself which will not be taken away from her.”

Contemporary English Version
but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

English Revised Version
but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
There's only one thing you need [worth worrying about]. Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her."

Good News Translation
but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her."

International Standard Version
But there's only one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better, and it is not to be taken away from her."

Literal Standard Version
but of one thing there is need, and Mary chose the good part; that will not be taken away from her.”

Majority Standard Bible
But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

New American Bible
There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

NET Bible
but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."

New Revised Standard Version
there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

New Heart English Bible
but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Webster's Bible Translation
But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Weymouth New Testament
and yet only one thing is really necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion and she shall not be deprived of it."

World English Bible
but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Young's Literal Translation
but of one thing there is need, and Mary the good part did choose, that shall not be taken away from her.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Martha and Mary
41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things. 42But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Cross References
Psalm 27:4
One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.

Psalm 119:173
May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.

Luke 10:39
She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to His message.

Luke 11:1
One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

John 6:27
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval."

John 11:1
At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

John 11:19
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.


Treasury of Scripture

But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

one.

Luke 18:22
Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Psalm 27:4
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

Psalm 73:25
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

chosen.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Joshua 24:15,22
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD…

Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

good.

Psalm 16:5,6
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot…

Psalm 142:5
I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

which.

Luke 8:18
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Luke 12:20,33
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? …

Luke 16:2,25
And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward…

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Luke 10
1. Jesus sends out at once seventy disciples to work miracles, and to preach;
13. pronounces a woe against certain cities.
17. The seventy return with joy;
18. he shows them wherein to rejoice,
21. and thanks his Father for his grace;
23. magnifies the happy estate of his church;
25. teaches the lawyer how to attain eternal life,
30. and tells the parable of the good Samaritan;
38. reprimands Martha, and commends Mary her sister.














(42) But one thing is needful.--Some of the better MSS. present a singular various-reading, There is need of few things, or of one only. It is obvious that this might be taken either literally or spiritually. They might mean (1) that He who spoke, and the others who were coming, needed not the many things about which Martha was troubled, but a few only, or even but a single dish, to supply their wants; or (2) that the true life of men needed but a few things, such as faith, obedience, the fear of God, or even but one only, the devout and intent love which Mary was then showing. The latter interpretation is clearly most in harmony with our Lord's usual teaching, though the former has something like a parallel in the teaching of Luke 10:7 of this very chapter. It is not improbable that our Lord designedly used words which had an outer and an inner meaning, the latter intended chiefly for those who "had ears to hear." There is a singular coincidence between the words here spoken to Martha and those addressed to the young ruler ("one thing thou lackest"), whom we have seen reason to identify with her brother. (See Note on Matthew 19:16.) The omission of "few things" in the received text, may have originated in the wish to give an exclusive prominence to the higher meaning.

Mary hath chosen that good part.--The Greek noun is very nearly the same as that which the younger son, in Luke 15:12, uses for "the portion of goods," the good part or portion here being nothing less than the eternal life which is the gift of God. Here too we may trace something approaching to a half-playful mingling of the higher and lower meanings of the word which was used in the Greek version of the Old Testament at once for Benjamin's mess, i.e., portion of food (Genesis 43:34), and for God as the "portion" of His people (Psalm 73:26). Even on the assumption that our Lord spoke in Aramaic, and not in Greek, a like play upon the word would have been equally possible. . . .

Verse 42. - But one thing is needful. Jesus had been saying to this kindly but over-fussy friend, "Are you not too anxious about these household cares of yours?" and then he adds, "See, only one thing is really needful." Now, what is the exact meaning of these last words? Some expositors have taken the expression to mean "a single dish is sufficient" for my entertainment; so much careful, anxious thought is thrown away. A curious variation in the reading occurs here in some, though not in all the oldest, authorities. It seems as though some of the early copyists of the text of the Gospel were wishful to make the words, which they possibly understood as a lesson of the Master's on simplicity of food, clearer and more emphatic. This other reading is, "There is need of few things, or of one only." In other words, "Few things are enough for me and my friends to sit down to, or even one dish only." The teaching contained in ver. 7 gives a little colour to this quaint interpretation of the Master's words here, which sees in them a general warning against taking thought for the pleasures of the table. But, on the whole, the old reading contained in the received text is preferable, and the old interpretation, too, viz. that the true life of man needs but one thing, or, if the other reading be adopted, needs but few things. If we must specify the one, we would call it" love," or "charity." So John, we know, in his old days, summed up all man's duties in this "love." If, on the other hand, we are asked to name the few, then we would add to love, faith and hope. The parable of the "good Samaritan," that practical lesson of the love or charity the Master was alluding to, had just been spoken; it was Still, we may reverently assume, fresh in the Divine Teacher's mind. And Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. And Mary, his dear Bethany friend, had made her happy choice of the one thing, that love or charity which never fails; or, perchance, had made her choice of the few things needful (if we prefer the longer reading of those old manuscripts we have spoken of) - the few things would then mean that faith, hope, and charity which abide both now and in the ages of ages yet to come!



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δέ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

only
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

one
ἑνός (henos)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

thing
ὀλίγων (oligōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3641: Puny; especially neuter somewhat.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

necessary.
χρεία (chreia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5532: From the base of chraomai or chre; employment, i.e. An affair; also occasion, demand, requirement or destitution.

Mary
Μαριὰμ (Mariam)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3137: Or Mariam of Hebrew origin; Maria or Mariam, the name of six Christian females.

has chosen
ἐξελέξατο (exelexato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1586: To pick out for myself, choose, elect, select. Middle voice from ek and lego; to select.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

good
ἀγαθὴν (agathēn)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 18: A primary word; 'good'.

portion,
μερίδα (merida)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3310: Feminine of meros; a portion, i.e. Province, share or participation.

[and it]
ἥτις (hētis)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

will not be taken away from
ἀφαιρεθήσεται (aphairethēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 851: To take away, smite off. From apo and haireomai; to remove.

her.”
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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