This passage is often misinterpreted as devaluing good works or suggesting that faithful service is utterly worthless and unprofitable in God's eyes, leading some to dismiss obedience altogether; others wrongly apply it to imply believers have no inherent value or that God never rewards extra effort, ignoring the context of Jesus correcting disciples' expectations of thanks for forgiveness and the broader biblical affirmation of rewards for faithfulness beyond mere duty.
Luke 17:10
King James Version (1769)
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Jesus teaches humility in obedience, using the analogy of servants who, after faithfully completing their assigned duties, do not expect praise or commendation because they have merely done what was required of them; believers should adopt this mindset, recognizing that perfect obedience to God's commands is the baseline expectation rather than a basis for boasting or earning merit beyond salvation by grace.