Who Was Luke in the Bible?
Who Was Luke in the Bible? Luke was a physician and historian who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, making him the author of more New Testament content than any other writer.
Key verse: Colossians 4:14 (KJV)
Luke was a physician and historian who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, making him the author of more New Testament content than any other writer.
Luke was a physician and historian who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, making him the author of more New Testament content than any other writer.
"Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you." — Colossians 4:14 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
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The Biblical Answer
Luke is identified by Paul as 'the beloved physician' (Colossians 4:14). He was a Gentile — the only non-Jewish author of a New Testament book. Luke accompanied Paul on several missionary journeys, as indicated by the 'we' passages in Acts (Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18, 27:1-28:16). His Gospel is the most literary and detailed of the four, addressed to 'most excellent Theophilus' (Luke 1:3). Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion for the poor, women, and outcasts. He carefully investigated his sources 'from the very first' (Luke 1:3) to produce an 'orderly account.' The Book of Acts continues the story, tracing the church's expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. Luke remained with Paul during his final imprisonment when others had departed (2 Timothy 4:11). His contributions give us the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the detailed account of Christ's birth.
Key Scripture References
"Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you."
"It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed."
"Only Luke is with me."
Frequently asked questions
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Related Questions
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Deep Dive Commentary
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Read it in context
The answer above sits inside Colossians. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read Colossians on day 343 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “Who Was Luke in the Bible?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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