Luke 9:41
What does Luke 9:41 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 9:41 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 9:41 means
Jesus rebukes the faithless and perverse generation, questioning how long he must endure them, and commands the man to bring his son. His anger is directed not only at the crowd’s unbelief but also at the disciples’ lack of faith. “Faithless and perverse generation” expresses frustration with widespread spiritual hardness. Jesus’ rebuke calls for decisive action: bring the boy so Jesus can confront the demon. The verse underscores that Jesus expects trust and responsiveness and that unbelief impedes God’s deliverance.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with you? bring hither thy son.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with you? bring hither thy son.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Jesus said, O generation without faith and false in heart, how long will I have to be with you and put up with you? let your son come here.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And Jesus answering said, `O generation, unstedfast and perverse, till when shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring near hither thy son;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Jesus, answering:, said: O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? Bring hither thy son.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? Bring hither thy son.
Context
This verse follows the disciples’ admitted failure (v.40) and functions as a sharp rebuke and call to action. It highlights Jesus’ intolerance for unbelief amid opportunity, addressing both those present and his followers. The rebuke sets the stage for the dramatic healing that follows (v.42) and then for Jesus’ teaching about his upcoming betrayal (v.44), which the disciples still cannot grasp. The sequence combines rebuke, healing, and prophetic instruction.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 13:18
And for about the time of forty years as a nursing-father bare he them in the wilderness.
- Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
- Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience.
- Luke 8:25
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And being afraid they marvelled, saying one to another, Who then is this, that he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him?
- Matthew 23:36
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
- Numbers 14:11
And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them?
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