Luke 4:34
What does Luke 4:34 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 4:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 4:34 means
Verse 34 captures the demon’s cry: it addresses Jesus as 'Jesus thou Nazarene' and asks if he has come to destroy them, while confessing knowledge of his identity as 'the Holy One of God.' The demon’s recognition of Jesus’ divine authority contrasts with human misunderstanding. The cry reveals demons’ awareness that Jesus’ mission threatens their realm. It also underscores the irony that spiritual beings may acknowledge truths people resist. The demonic confession helps confirm Jesus’ identity, yet he will control when such testimonies are voiced, preventing sensational or premature declarations of his role.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Let us be! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? have you come to put an end to us? I have knowledge who you are, the Holy One of God.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862saying, `Away, what--to us and to thee, Jesus, O Nazarene? thou didst come to destroy us; I have known thee who thou art--the Holy One of God.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Saying: Let us alone. What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890saying, Eh! what have we to do with thee, Jesus, Nazarene? hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy [One] ofGod.
Context
This verse follows the introduction of the demoniac and precedes Jesus’ rebuke and exorcism. It heightens the drama: supernatural recognition confronts the crowd’s astonishment with raw spiritual reality. Luke uses the demon’s confession to both reveal and complicate Jesus’ identity: it recognizes the truth but from an enemy’s mouth. The following verses will show Jesus silencing the demon, demonstrating his authority to control even spiritual testimony, while protecting the timing of revelation.
v.33And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
v.34This passage
v.35And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 1:34
And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him.
- Acts 16:39
and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city.
- Genesis 3:15
and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
- Hebrews 2:14
Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
- Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
- Mark 5:7
and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not.
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