Luke 24:23
in Luke 24but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
KJV
And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
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This verse in Luke 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe disciples also mention the report of the resurrection which was brought by the women; adding, Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, &c. They say this indeed as if they did not believe it; wherefore they speak of themselves as frightened or astonished. For they did consider as established what was told them, or that there had been an angelic revelation, but derived from it reason for astonishment and alarm.
This site's exposition
some of our women astounded us
on Luke 24:22-24
The report ends, But Him they did not see. That line sums up the company's state that day, an empty tomb and no one who has seen him. Jesus answers it first from the Scriptures.
This site's exposition
a vision of angels
The travelers pass on the women's report secondhand, and the phrase a vision of angels keeps it at a distance. John Gill notes that the Syriac and Persic versions add the word there, placing the angels at the tomb. The report said Jesus was alive, yet the speakers stay sad.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(ut sup.) But since Luke has said that Peter ran to the sepulchre, and has himself related the words of Cleophas, that some of them went to the sepulchre, he is understood to confirm the testimony of John, that two went to the sepulchre. He first mentioned Peter only, because to him first Mary had related the news.
The Medieval Church2 voices
"Already the third day now,... and certain women from among us astonished us" and so forth. They say this in a state of perplexity. It seems to me that these two men were in great vacillation of thought, neither too disbelieving nor too believing. For …
Whence he adds: And not having found his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of Angels, who say that he is alive. Therefore they were terrified, because it was horrible to them to have lost the body of the Lord, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when they found not his body,.... In the sepulchre, as they expected, and so could not do what they intended: they came; they returned from the sepulchre with great haste, and in a very great fright, and came to the disciples, where they were assembled; saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels. The Syriac and Persic versions add, "there"; at the sepulchre, for there were two of them at least, if not three; see Luk 24:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The history contained in these verses, is not found in any other Gospel but that of Luke. Of all the eleven appearances of Christ after His resurrection, none perhaps is so interesting as the one described in this passage. Let us mark, in these verses — what encouragement there is to believers to speak to one another about Christ . We are told of two disciples walking together to Emmaus, and talking of their Master's crucifixion. And then come the remarkable words, "As they talked and discussed these things with each other — Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them." Conference on spiritual subjects is a most important means of grace. As iron sharpens iron — so does exchange of thoughts with brethren, sharpen a believer's soul. It brings down a special blessing on all who make a practice of it. The striking words of Malachi were meant for the Church in every age — "Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other — and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 'They will be Mine,' says the LORD Almighty, 'in the day when I make up My jewels.'" (Malachi 3:16, 17.) What do we ourselves know of spiritual conversation with other Christians? Perhaps we read our Bibles, and pray in private, and use public means of grace. It is all well, very well. But if we stop short here — then we neglect a great privilege and have yet much to learn. We ought to "consider how to provoke one another to love and good works." We ought to "exhort" and "edify one another." (Hebrews 10:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:11.) Have we no time for spiritual conversation? Let us think again. The quantity of time wasted on frivolous, trifling, and unprofitable talk — is fearfully great. Do we find nothing to say on spiritual subjects?
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
The history contained in these verses, is not found in any other Gospel but that of Luke. Of all the eleven appearances of Christ after His resurrection, none perhaps is so interesting as the one described in this passage. Let us mark, in these verses — what encouragement there is to believers to speak to one another about Christ . We are told of two disciples walking together to Emmaus, and talking of their Master's crucifixion.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| εὑροῦσαι | heurousai | having found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῶμα | soma | body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἦλθον | elthon | they came | G2064 → | 628 times |
| λέγουσαι | legousai | declaring | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὀπτασίαν | optasian | a vision | G3701 → | |
| ἀγγέλων | angelon | of angels | G32 → | 175 times |
| ἑωρακέναι | he'orakenai | to have seen | G3708 → | 60 times |
| οἳ | hoi | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| λέγουσιν | legousin | say | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | He | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ζῆν. | zen | [is] living. | G2198 → | 139 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
εὑροῦσαιhaving found
heurousaiG2147 →175 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
σῶμαbody
somaG4983 →142 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἦλθονthey came
elthonG2064 →628 times
λέγουσαιdeclaring
legousaiG3004 →1325 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὀπτασίανa vision
optasianG3701 →
ἀγγέλωνof angels
angelonG32 →175 times
ἑωρακέναιto have seen
he'orakenaiG3708 →60 times
οἳwho
hoiG3739 →1405 times
λέγουσινsay
legousinG3004 →1325 times
αὐτὸνHe
autonG846 →5565 times
ζῆν.[is] living.
zenG2198 →139 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies30
On this verse
On this chapter
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- How We Got the Bible
- Huldah, the Prophetess Who Authenticated Scripture
- Jesus
- Jesus on the Holy Spirit
- Jesus on the Scriptures
- Lydia: Acts 16:11-15, 40
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About Luke

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ancient Greek Expositor, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 24; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.
