Devine Scripture

Luke 24:32

What does Luke 24:32 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 24:32 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 24:32 means

They reflect, “Was not our heart burning within us while He spoke on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” The inward heat describes awakening—truth felt and known as the Lord Himself applies the Word. Their experience confirms that spiritual understanding is not cold data but living light. The phrase “opened the Scriptures” captures the key: Christ unlocks the Bible to show Himself, and in that unveiling, hearts are set aflame. Recognition at the table explained their earlier sensation on the road. What they felt was not mere emotion; it was the presence of the risen Teacher making God’s plan clear.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And they said to one another, Were not our hearts burning in us while he was talking to us on the way, making clear to us the holy Writings?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And they said one to another, `Was not our heart burning within us, as he was speaking to us in the way, and as he was opening up to us the Writings?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And they said one to the other: Was not our heart burning within us, whilst he spoke in the way and opened to us the scriptures?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And they said to one another, Was not our heart burning in us as he spoke to us on the way, [and] as he opened the scriptures to us?

Context

Following the moment of recognition and Jesus’ disappearance (v. 31), verse 32 captures the disciples’ immediate processing of what happened. They connect their prior heart-burning to the Scripture lesson, reinforcing the chapter’s theme that the Bible bears witness to the Christ. This realization fuels decisive action in verse 33—they will return to Jerusalem at once. Their testimony will then join the report that the Lord has appeared to Simon (v. 34), creating a communal confirmation before Jesus appears to the gathered group (vv. 36–43).

v.31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

v.32This passage

v.33And they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

Cross references

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

  • Jeremiah 20:9

    And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.

  • Jeremiah 15:16

    Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts.

  • Isaiah 50:4

    The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as they that are taught.

  • Jeremiah 23:29

    Is not my word like fire? saith Jehovah; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

  • Proverbs 27:17

    Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

  • Acts 17:2

    and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures,

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