Devine Scripture

Luke 24:3

What does Luke 24:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 24:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 24:3 means

When they enter the tomb and do not find the body of the Lord Jesus, the core historical claim of Christianity is set before us in negative form: the crucified Lord’s body is absent. The women did not come looking for a miracle; yet what they find contradicts their expectations and demands interpretation. The absence of the body cannot be the product of their wishful thinking, because they had come to honor a dead friend. Luke’s simple report carries weight: it invites careful readers to consider either theft, misplacement, or something God has done. The emptiness becomes the canvas for heaven’s announcement.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And they went in, but the body of the Lord Jesus was not there.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and having gone in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And going in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And when they had entered they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Context

The narrative progresses from an open tomb (v. 2) to the unexplained absence of Jesus’ body (v. 3). The women are inside, firsthand witnesses. Their perplexity prepares the way for the appearance of heavenly messengers who will interpret the event. Without that interpretation, the empty tomb might be misread. Verses 4–7 will provide the divine explanation, bringing memory of Jesus’ own words in Galilee to bear. This flow—evidence, confusion, revelation—guides the reader to receive the resurrection not as rumor or wish, but as God’s fulfillment of prior promise.

v.2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

v.3This passage

v.4And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 20:6

    Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying,

  • Luke 24:23

    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.

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