Luke 4:25 - Plain English Version

^25-26 Think about these 2 stories in God’s book. Remember the story about God’s man, Elijah, that lived a long time ago. Our people, the Israel nation, did bad things at that time, so God punished them. He stopped the rain. No rain fell for 3½ years, and no food plants grew in the gardens, so nobody had enough food, and they were very hungry. But God looked after Elijah, and sent him to another place called Zarefath, in Sidon country. God got a widow there to look after Elijah, and God gave that widow enough food for herself, and her son, and Elijah too. Listen, there were a lot of widows in Israel at that time, but God did not save a widow that belonged to Israel, he saved a widow that belonged to Sidon country, not one of us Israel people.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

²⁵ 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;

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

²⁵ But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed up for three years and six months, so that there came a great famine over all the land;

American Standard Version (1901)

²⁵ 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;

Common English Bible

²⁵ And I can assure you that there were many widows in Israel during Elijah’s time, when it didn’t rain for three and a half years and there was a great food shortage in the land.

Catholic Public Domain Version

²⁵ In truth, I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elijah in Israel, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine had occurred throughout the entire land.

Luke 4:25 Cross References

Matthew 20:15

It’s all right for me to do what I want with my own money, right? If I’m good to somebody, don’t get upset with me.’ ”

Ephesians 1:11

God always does everything that he plans. And a long time ago, he picked us, and planned to join us to Jesus Christ and make us his people.

Ephesians 1:9

God planned it all a long time ago, and nobody knew about it. But now he let us know about it. He told us that he is using Jesus to do the things he planned, things that make him happy.

James 5:17

Think about the story about Elijah. He was just a person, like us, but he prayed and asked God to stop the rain, and God did that. It didn’t rain at all for the next 3½ years.