Luke 8:39
What does Luke 8:39 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 8:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 8:39 means
Luke 8:39 recounts Jesus’ instruction: return home and tell how great things God has done for you; the man obeyed and proclaimed Jesus’ deeds throughout the city. The verse models appropriate response to deliverance: personal testimony rooted in gratitude and obedience. The man’s public witness likely reoriented some people’s thinking, demonstrating the gospel’s social reclaiming power. The phrase “how great things God hath done” rightly attributes the miracle to God working through Jesus, framing the testimony theologically and pointing hearers toward God’s action in Christ.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Go back to your house and let them have news of all the great things which God has done for you. And he went away, giving word through all the town of the great things which Jesus had done for him.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Turn back to thy house, and tell how great things God did to thee;' and he went away through all the city proclaiming how great things Jesus did to him.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Return to thy house and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done to him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Return to thine house and relate how great thingsGod has done for thee. And he went away through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done for him.
Context
Following Jesus sending him away, the man’s obedience and evangelistic activity complete the Gerasene story’s restorative arc. The chapter moves from the sea miracle to the Gentile deliverance and now returns to Galilee, where the next series of healings unfolds. The man’s witness underlines the transformative effect of encountering Jesus.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 66:16
Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
- John 4:29
Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ?
- Mark 1:45
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
- Daniel 4:34
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation;
- Psalms 126:2
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing: Then said they among the nations, Jehovah hath done great things for them.
- Daniel 4:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.
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