Luke 4:17
What does Luke 4:17 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 4:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 4:17 means
Verse 17 reports that the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Jesus; he opened it and found the place where it was written. This depicts the synagogue practice and prepares for a prophetic declaration. The imagery of finding a precise passage underscores Jesus’ authority to select and apply Scripture. It signals a decisive interpretive moment—he will read and interpret Isaiah as fulfilled in himself. This act places Jesus within prophetic tradition and primes his audience to hear a claim about his identity and mission anchored in Scripture, not merely personal assertion.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
KJV
King James Version · 1611And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him and, opening the book, he came on the place where it is said,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and there was given over to him a roll of Isaiah the prophet, and having unfolded the roll, he found the place where it hath been written:
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And [the] book of the prophet Esaias was given to him; and having unrolled the book he found the place where it was written,
Context
This verse ushers the Nazareth synagogue scene into its central act: reading Isaiah. It follows Jesus’ resuming synagogue worship and precedes his public reading and application of Isaiah 61. The context highlights the continuity between prophetic promise and its claimed fulfillment. Readers should see this as a deliberate move by Jesus to frame his ministry in prophetic terms, connecting past revelation to present action and setting up the tension with his local listeners who will soon react strongly.
v.16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.
v.17This passage
v.18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 7:42
But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
- Acts 13:15
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
- Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
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