The Meaning of Luke 13:11 Explained

Luke 13:11

KJV: And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

YLT: and lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and not able to bend back at all,

Darby: And lo, there was a woman having a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent together and wholly unable to lift her head up.

ASV: And behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And,  behold,  there was  a woman  which had  a spirit  of infirmity  eighteen  years,  and  was  bowed together,  and  could  in  no  wise  lift up  [herself]. 

What does Luke 13:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 13:10-17 - Good Work For The Sabbath
There was in this woman a noble principle which led her to persevere in attending God's house, although there was much to discourage her. Probably she was animated by a faith which made her specially susceptible to the healing word of Christ. Infirmity of any kind should drive us to the house of God. We shall meet Jesus there. When He says, loosed, all the powers of hell cannot bind us down. "He breaks the power of cancelled sin."
The charge of Sabbath-breaking by these men was very unreasonable, because on that very morning each of them had unloosened his beast to lead him to the wellhead. And if it was not wrong, in their judgment, to untie a beast, surely it would not be wrong to untie the knotted disease that bound this woman's head to her feet by an invisible thong! Great human needs must have precedence over the observance of details of ritual. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 13

1  Jesus preaches repentance upon the punishment of the Galilaeans and others
6  The fruitless fig tree may not stand
10  He heals the crooked woman;
18  shows the powerful working of the word, by the parable of the grain of mustard seed,
20  and of leaven;
22  exhorts to enter in at the strait gate;
31  and reproves Herod and Jerusalem

Greek Commentary for Luke 13:11

A spirit of infirmity [πνευμα αστενειας]
A spirit that caused the weakness (αστενειας — astheneias lack of strength) like a spirit of bondage (Romans 8:15), genitive case. [source]
She was bowed together [ην συνκυπτουσα]
Periphrastic imperfect active of συνκυπτω — sunkuptō old verb, here only in the N.T., to bend together, medical word for curvature of the spine.And could in no wise lift herself up (και μη δυναμενη ανακυπσαι εις το παντελες — kai mē dunamenē anakupsai eis to panteles). Negative form of the previous statement. Ανακυπσαι — Anakupsai first aorist active infinitive of ανακυπτω — anakuptō (ανα κυπτω — ana συν — kuptō same verb above compounded with εις το παντελες — sun). Unable to bend herself up or back at all (eis to panteles wholly as in Hebrews 7:25 only other passage in the N.T. where it occurs). The poor old woman had to come in all bent over. [source]
And could in no wise lift herself up [και μη δυναμενη ανακυπσαι εις το παντελες]
Negative form of the previous statement. Ανακυπσαι — Anakupsai first aorist active infinitive of ανακυπτω — anakuptō Unable to bend herself up or back at all The poor old woman had to come in all bent over. [source]
Spirit of infirmity []
A spirit which caused infirmity. An evil demon, see Luke 13:16, though it is not certain that it was a case of possession. The details of the disease, and the noting of the time of its continuance, are characteristic of a physician's narrative. [source]
Bowed together [συγκύπτουσα]
Only here in New Testament. [source]
Lift herself up [ἀνακύψαι]
Only here in New Testament, unless John 8:7-10 be accepted as genuine. Used by Galen of strengthening the vertebrae of the spine. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 13:11

Matthew 8:29 Thou Son of God [υιε του τεου]
The recognition of Jesus by the demons is surprising. The whole subject of demonology is difficult. Some hold that it is merely the ancient way of describing disease. But that does not explain the situation here. Jesus is represented as treating the demons as real existences separate from the human personality. Missionaries in China today claim that they have seen demons cast out. The devil knew Jesus clearly and it is not strange that Jesus was recognized by the devil‘s agents. They know that there is nothing in common between them and the Son of God Usually τα δαιμονια — ta daimonia is the word in the New Testament for demons, but in Matthew 8:31 we have οι δαιμονες — hoi daimones (the only example in the N.T.). Δαιμονιον — Daimonion is a diminutive of δαιμων — daimōn In Homer δαιμων — daimōn is used synonymously with τεος — theos and τεα — thea Hesiod employed δαιμων — daimōn of men of the golden age as tutelary deities. Homer has the adjective δαιμονιος — daimonios usually in an evil sense. Empedocles considered the demons both bad and good. They were thus used to relieve the gods and goddesses of much rascality. Grote (History of Greece) notes that the Christians were thus by pagan usage justified in calling idolatry the worship of demons. See notes on 1 Corinthians 10:20.; note on 1 Timothy 4:1; note on Revelation 9:20; and notes on Revelation 16:13. In the Gospels demons are the same as unclean spirits (Mark 5:12, Mark 5:15; Mark 3:22, Mark 3:30; Luke 4:33). The demons are disturbers (Vincent) of the whole life of man (Mark 5:2.; Mark 7:25; Matthew 12:45; Luke 13:11, Luke 13:16). [source]
Mark 1:34 Devils [δαιμόνια]
The Rev., unfortunately, and against the protest of the American committee, retains devils instead of rendering demons. See on Matthew 4:1. The New Testament uses two kindred words to denote the evil spirits which possessed men, and which were so often east out by Christ: διάμων , of which demon is a transcript, and which occurs, according to the best texts, only at Matthew 8:31; and δαιμόνιον , which is not a diminutive, but the neuter of the adjective δαιμόνιος ,of, or belonging to a demon. The cognate verb is δαιμονίζομαι to be possessed with a demon, as in Mark 1:32. The derivation of the word is uncertain. Perhaps δαίω , to distribute, since the deities allot the fates of men. Plato derives it from δαήμων , knowing or wise. In Hesiod, as in Pythagoras, Thales, and Plutarch, the word δαίμων is used of men of the golden age, acting as tutelary deities, and forming the link between gods and men. Socrates, in Plato's “Cratylus,” quotes Hesiod as follows: “Socrates: You know how Hesiod uses the word? Hermogenes: Indeed I do not. Soc.: Do you not remember that he speaks of a golden race of men who came first? Her.: Yes, I know that. Soc.: He says of them,But now that fate has closed over this race,They are holy demons upon earth,Beneficent, averters of ills, guardians of mortal men.'”After some further conversation, Socrates goes on: “And therefore I have the most entire conviction that he called them demons, because they were δαήμονες (knowing or wise )Now, he and other poets say truly that, when a good man dies, he has honor and a mighty portion among the dead, and becomes a demon, which is a name given to him signifying wisdom. And I say, too, that every wise man who happens to be a good man is more than human ( δαιμόνιον ) both in life and death, and is rightly called a demon.” Mr. Grote (“History of Greece”) observes that in Hesiod demons are “invisible tenants of the earth, remnants of the once happy golden race whom the Olympic gods first made - the unseen police of the gods, for the purpose of repressing wicked behavior in the world.” In later Greek the word came to be used of any departed soul. In Homer δαίμων is used synonymously with θεός and θεά , god and goddess, and the moral quality of the divinity is determined by the context: but most commonly of the divine power or agency, like the Latin numen, the deity considered as a power rather than as a person. Homer does not use δαιμόνιον substantively, but as an adjective, always in the vocative case, and with a sorrowful or reproachful sense, indicating that the person addressed is in some astonishing or strange condition. Therefore, as a term of reproach - wretch! sirrah! madman! (“Iliad,” 2:190,200; 4:31; ix., 40). Occasionally in an admiring or respectful sense (“Odyssey,” xiv., 443; xxiii., 174); Excellent stranger! noble sir! Homer also uses δαίμων of one's genius or attendant spirit, and thence of one's lot orfortune. So in the beautiful simile of the sick father (“Odyssey,” 5:396), “Some malignant genius has assailed him.” Compare “Odyssey,” x., 64; xi., 61. Hence, later, the phrase κατὰ δαίμονα is nearly equivalent to by chance. We have seen that, in Homer, the bad sense of δαιμόνοις is the prevailing one. In the tragedians, also, δαίμων , though used both of good and bad fortune, occurs more frequently in the latter sense, and toward this sense the word gravitates more and more. The undertone of Greek thought, which tended to regard no man happy until he had escaped from life (see on Matthew 5:3, blessed )naturally imparted a gloomy and forbidding character to those who were supposed to allot the destinies of life. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
In classical Greek it is noticeable that the abstract τὸ δαιμόνιον fell into the background behind δαίμων , with the development in the latter of the notion of a fate or genius connected with each individual, as the demon of Socrates; while in biblical Greek the process is the reverse, this doctrine being rejected for that of an overruling personal providence, and the strange gods, “obscure to human knowledge and alien to human life,” taking the abstract term uniformly in an evil sense. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Empedocles, a Greek philosopher, of Sicily, developed Hesiod's distinction; making the demons of a mixed nature between gods and men, not only the link between the two, but having an agency and disposition of their own; not immortal, but long-lived, and subject to the passions and propensities of men. While in Hesiod the demons are all good, according to Empedocles they are both bad and good. This conception relieved the gods of the responsibility for proceedings unbecoming the divine nature. The enormities which the older myths ascribed directly to the gods - thefts, rapes, abductions - were the doings of bad demons. It also saved the credit of the old legends, obviating the necessity of pronouncing either that the gods were unworthy or the legends untrue. “Yet, though devised for the purpose of satisfying a more scrupulous religious sensibility, it was found inconvenient afterward when assailants arose against paganism generally. For while it abandoned as indefensible a large portion of what had once been genuine faith, it still retained the same word demons with an entirely altered signification. The Christian writers in their controversies found ample warrant among the earlier pagan authors for treating all the gods as demons; and not less ample warrant among the later pagans for denouncing the demons generally as evil beings” (Grote, “History of Greece”). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
This evil sense the words always bear in the New Testament as well as in the Septuagint. Demons are synonymous with unclean spirits (Mark 5:12, Mark 5:15; Mark 3:22, Mark 3:30; Luke 4:33). They appear in connection with Satan (Luke 10:17, Luke 10:18; Luke 11:18, Luke 11:19); they are put in opposition to the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:20, 1 Corinthians 10:21); to the faith (1 Timothy 4:1). They are connected with idolatry (Revelation 9:20; Revelation 16:13, Revelation 16:14). They are special powers of evil, influencing and disturbing the physical, mental, and moral being (Luke 13:11, Luke 13:16; Mark 5:2-5; Mark 7:25; Matthew 12:45). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Luke 21:28 Look up []
See on Luke 13:11. Graphic, as implying being previously bowed down with sorrow. [source]
Luke 13:18 He said therefore [ελεγεν ουν]
It is not clear to what to refer “therefore,” whether to the case of the woman in Luke 13:11, the enthusiasm of the crowd in Luke 13:17, or to something not recorded by Luke. [source]
Luke 21:28 Look up [ανακυπσατε]
First aorist active imperative of ανακυπτω — anakuptō to raise up. Here of the soul as in John 8:7, John 8:10, but in Luke 13:11 of the body. These the only N.T. examples of this common verb. [source]
Luke 23:27 Bewailed [εκοπτοντο]
Imperfect middle of κοπτω — koptō to cut, smite, old and common verb. Direct middle, they were smiting themselves on the breast. “In the Gospels there is no instance of a woman being hostile to Christ” (Plummer). Luke‘s Gospel is appropriately called the Gospel of Womanhood (1:39-56; Luke 2:36-38; Luke 7:11-15, Luke 7:37-50; Luke 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; Luke 11:27; Luke 13:11-16).Lamented (ετρηνουν — ethrēnoun). Imperfect active of τρηνεω — thrēneō old verb from τρεομαι — threomai to cry aloud, lament. [source]
Acts 10:38 God anointed him [εχρισεν αυτον ο τεος]
First aorist active of the verb διηλτεν ευεργετων — chriō to anoint, from which the verbal διερεομαι — Christos is formed (Acts 2:36). The precise event referred to by Peter could be the Incarnation (Luke 1:35.), the Baptism (Luke 3:22), the Ministry at Nazareth (Luke 4:14). Why not to the life and work of Jesus as a whole? Went about doing good (δια — diēlthen euergetōn). Beautiful description of Jesus. Summary (constative) aorist active of ευεργετων — dierehomai to go through (ευεργετεω — dia) or from place to place. The present active participle ευ — euergetōn is from the old verb εργον — euergeteō (ευεργετης — eu well, και ιωμενος — ergon work) and occurs only here in the N.T. The substantive τους καταδυναστευομενους — euergetēs (benefactor) was often applied to kings like Ptolemy Euergetes and that is the sense in Luke 22:25 the only N.T. example. But the term applies to Jesus far more than to Ptolemy or any earthly king (Cornelius a Lapide). And healing And in particular healing. Luke does not exclude other diseases (cf. Luke 13:11, Luke 13:16), but he lays special emphasis on demoniacal possession (cf. Mark 1:23). That were oppressed (κατα — tous katadunasteuomenous). Present passive articular participle of διαβολος — katadunasteuō A late verb in lxx and papyri. In the N.T. only here and James 2:6 (best MSS.). One of the compounds of οτι ο τεος ην μετ αυτου — kata made transitive. The reality of the devil (the slanderer, diabolos) is recognized by Peter. For God was with him Surely this reason does not reveal “a low Christology” as some charge. Peter had used the same language in Acts 7:9 and earlier in Luke 1:28, Luke 1:66 as Nicodemus does in John 3:2. [source]
Acts 10:38 And healing [καταδυναστευω]
And in particular healing. Luke does not exclude other diseases (cf. Luke 13:11, Luke 13:16), but he lays special emphasis on demoniacal possession (cf. Mark 1:23). That were oppressed (κατα — tous katadunasteuomenous). Present passive articular participle of διαβολος — katadunasteuō A late verb in lxx and papyri. In the N.T. only here and James 2:6 (best MSS.). One of the compounds of οτι ο τεος ην μετ αυτου — kata made transitive. The reality of the devil (the slanderer, diabolos) is recognized by Peter. For God was with him Surely this reason does not reveal “a low Christology” as some charge. Peter had used the same language in Acts 7:9 and earlier in Luke 1:28, Luke 1:66 as Nicodemus does in John 3:2. [source]
Hebrews 7:25 To the uttermost [εἰς τὸ παντελὲς]
Παντελής allcomplete, only here and Luke 13:11. Not perpetually, but perfectly. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 13:11 mean?

And behold a woman a spirit having of infirmity years ten [and] eight she was bent over not able to lift up herself to the full
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα‿ οκτώ ἦν συνκύπτουσα μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακύψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές

ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
γυνὴ  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
πνεῦμα  a  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
ἀσθενείας  of  infirmity 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἀσθένεια  
Sense: want of strength, weakness, infirmity.
ἔτη  years 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔτος  
Sense: year.
δέκα‿  ten  [and] 
Parse: Adjective
Root: δέκα 
Sense: ten.
οκτώ  eight 
Parse: Adjective
Root: ὀκτώ  
Sense: eight.
ἦν  she  was 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
συνκύπτουσα  bent  over 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: συγκύπτω  
Sense: to bend completely forwards, to be bowed together.
δυναμένη  able 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
ἀνακύψαι  to  lift  up  herself 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀνακύπτω  
Sense: to raise or lift one’s self up.
παντελές  full 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: παντελής  
Sense: all complete, perfect.