Luke 9:41
in Luke 9“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with you? bring hither thy son.
KJV
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
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This verse in Luke 9
Commentary
12 notes on this verseLet Marcion's Christ stand forth, and exclaim, "O faithless generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? " He will immediately have to submit to this remonstrance from me: "Whoever you are, O stranger, first tell us who you are, from whom you come, and what right you have over us.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
As if not knowing how to continue in the right beginnings. Now Christ disdains to dwell with those who are thus disposed. Hence He says, How long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Feeling troubled with their company, because of their evil deeds.
He then seems to accuse the disciples, but his answer is rather a justification of his casting aside his fear, saying, And I besought thy disciples to cast him out: and they could not. As if he said, Think not that I have come lightly unto Thee. Marvellous is Thy greatness! I did not intrude upon Thy presence at once, but went first to Thy disciples. Because they failed to work the cure, I am now compelled to approach Thee. Our Lord therefore does not blame him, but the faithless generation; for it follows, And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation.
The man was thoroughly an unbeliever and perverse, refusing the straight paths, straying from the mark, and wandering from the right ways. Christ does not want to be with those who think this way and have fallen into this wickedness. If one may speak in the manner of people, Christ is tired and weary of them. He teaches us this saying, "How long am I to be with you and bear with you?" The father says that the disciples, who received at Christ's wish power to cast them out, were powerless to cast out evil spirits. He finds fault with the grace itself, rather than with those who received it. It was wicked blasphemy, because if grace is powerless, the fault and blame is not with those who received it but rather with the grace itself. Anyone who wishes may see that the grace that worked in them was Christ's grace.
The Medieval Church2 voices
But Jesus answering said to them, etc. After the disposing occasion, the Evangelist explains secondly the efficient power, which is described here as just, as compassionate, and as great. First, it is described as just in the reproof of the unbelieving heart, when he says: …
But Jesus answering, said: O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Not that the gentle and meek one, who did not open his mouth like a lamb before its shearer (Is. LIII), overcame by weariness, nor did …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
Bring your son here. And as he was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. For as Jesus approached, the demon convulsed and scattered the boy, because often those who turn to God after sins are attacked by greater and new snares of …
Not that weariness has overcome His patience, but after the manner of a physician, when he sees a sick man acting contrary to his commands, he says, 'How long shall I come to thy house, when I order one thing, you do another. But to prove that He was not angry with the man, but with the sin, He immediately added, Bring thy son hither.
By the word perverse, He shows that this wickedness in them was not originally or by nature, for by nature indeed they were upright, being the seed of Abraham, but became perverted through malice.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Jesus answering, said,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The event described in these verses took place immediately after the transfiguration. The Lord Jesus, we should remark, did not tarry long on the Mount of Olives. His communion with Moses and Elijah was very short. He soon returned to His usual work of doing good to a sin-stricken world . In His life on earth, to receive honor and have visions of glory — was the exception. To minister to others, to heal all who were oppressed by the devil, to do acts of mercy to sinners — was the rule.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The event described in these verses took place immediately after the transfiguration. The Lord Jesus, we should remark, did not tarry long on the Mount of Olives. His communion with Moses and Elijah was very short. He soon returned to His usual work of doing good to a sin-stricken world . In His life on earth, to receive honor and have visions of glory — was the exception. To minister to others, to heal all who were oppressed by the devil, to do acts of mercy to sinners — was the rule. Happy are those Christians who have learned of Jesus, to live for others more than for themselves; and who understand that it is "more blessed to give, than to receive." (Acts 20:35.) We have first, in these verses — an example of what a parent should do when he is troubled about his children. We are told of a man in severe distress about his only son. This son was possessed by an evil spirit, and grievously tormented by him, both in body and soul. In his distress, the father makes application to our Lord Jesus Christ for relief. "Master," he says, "I beseech You, look upon my son — for he is my only child." There are many Christian fathers and mothers at this day who are just as miserable about their children as the man of whom we are reading. The son who was once the "desire of their eyes," and in whom their lives were bound up — turns out to be a thief, a profligate, and a companion of sinners. The daughter who was once the flower of the family, and of whom they said, "This girl shall be the comfort of our old age!" — becomes self-willed, worldly minded, and a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. Their hearts are well near broken. The iron seems to enter into their souls. The devil appears to triumph over them, and rob them of their choicest jewels. They are ready to cry, "I shall go sorrowing to the grave. What good shall my life do to me?"
The words behind it
23 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀποκριθεὶς | apokritheis | Answering | G611 → | 231 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| εἶπεν, | eipen | said, | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ὦ | o | O | G5599 → | |
| γενεὰ | genea | generation | G1074 → | 43 times |
| ἄπιστος | apistos | unbelieving | G571 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| διεστραμμένη, | diestrammene | perverted, | G1294 → | |
| ἕως | he'os | until | G2193 → | 146 times |
| πότε | pote | when | G4219 → | 19 times |
| ἔσομαι | esomai | will I be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| πρὸς | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀνέξομαι | anexomai | I will bear with | G430 → | |
| ὑμῶν; | humon | you? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| προσάγαγε | prosagage | do bring | G4317 → | |
| ὧδε | hode | here | G5602 → | 61 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| υἱόν | huion | son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| σου. | sou | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἈποκριθεὶςAnswering
apokritheisG611 →231 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
εἶπεν,said,
eipenG2036 →925 times
ὦO
γενεὰgeneration
geneaG1074 →43 times
ἄπιστοςunbelieving
apistosG571 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
διεστραμμένη,perverted,
diestrammeneG1294 →
ἕωςuntil
he'osG2193 →146 times
πότεwhen
poteG4219 →19 times
ἔσομαιwill I be
esomaiG1510 →2333 times
πρὸςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀνέξομαιI will bear with
anexomaiG430 →
ὑμῶν;you?
humonG4771 →2973 times
προσάγαγεdo bring
prosagageG4317 →
ὧδεhere
hodeG5602 →61 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
υἱόνson
huionG5207 →377 times
σου.of you.
souG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 14:9Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the…
it leads to
- Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- John 12:45
And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
- John 14:7
If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- John 10:30
I and the Father are one.”
- Colossians 1:15
Through
Romans 2:4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
- Exodus 34:6
Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
- 2 Peter 3:9
Where this verse is studied
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About Luke

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 9; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 52; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Titus of Bostra, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.
