Luke 24:37

Luke 24:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
• New International Version (NIV)They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Context of Luke 24:37

35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”

Luke 24:37 word by word

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• they were terrifiedπτοέωptoeō · to frightenG4422
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• ·γίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• affrightedἔμφοβοςemphobos · afraidG1719
• and supposed thatδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• they had seenθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
• a spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151

Cross-references for Luke 24:37

• Luke 16:30“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’
• 1 Samuel 28:13“Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
• Job 4:14Fear gripped me, and my bones trembled.
• Matthew 14:26When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
• Mark 6:49but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost.
• Acts 12:15“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.”

Commentaries on Luke 24:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37And supposed that they had seen a spirit - But if there be no such thing as a disembodied spirit, would not our Lord have shown them their error? Instead of this, he confirms them in their opinion, by saying, A spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have, Luke 24:39; therefore he says, handle me and see me. They probably imagined that it was the soul only of our blessed Lord which they saw; but they were soon fully convinced of the identity of his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-49Verses 36-49 Jesus appeared in a miraculous manner, assuring the disciples of his peace, though they had so lately forsaken him, and promising spiritual peace with every blessing. Many troublesome thoughts which disquiet our minds, rise from mistakes concerning Christ. All the troublesome thoughts which rise in our hearts at any time, are known to the Lord Jesus, and are displeasing to him. He spake with them on their unreasonable unbelief. Nothing had…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-3837-38. a spirit--the ghost of their dead Lord, but not Himself in the body (Ac 12:15; Mt 14:26). thoughts--rather, "reasonings"; that is, whether He were risen or no, and whether this was His very self.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 24:37

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Love
• Trouble
• Unbelief

In the dictionaries

• Fool
• Happen
• Open
• Ought
• Resurrection of Christ
• Spirit
• Tale
• Talk
• Terrify
• Thereabout

Commentaries on Luke 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings