The Meaning of Luke 9:7 Explained

Luke 9:7

KJV: Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

YLT: And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things being done by him, and was perplexed, because it was said by certain, that John hath been raised out of the dead;

Darby: And Herod the tetrarch heard of all the things which were done by him, and was in perplexity, because it was said by some that John was risen from among the dead,

ASV: Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done: and he was much perplexed, because that it was said by some, that John was risen from the dead;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  Herod  the tetrarch  heard  of all  that was done  by  him:  and  he was perplexed,  because  that it was said  of  some,  that  John  was risen  from  the dead; 

What does Luke 9:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 9:1-10 - Working Through His Followers
The Galilean ministry was coming to a close. The light that had shone there was to move southward and set behind the Cross. Before finally leaving the district our Lord made one last effort on its behalf. Calling together the Apostles He laid His plans before them, divided the district into sections and sent them out in pairs. He gave them no outward investiture, but the inward power of casting out evil spirits. Nothing was to distract them from the great object of heralding the kingdom of God.
Here we seem to encounter the origin of medical missions: their object in healing body and mind; their authority in the command of our Savior; their claims for support. George Eliot once said wisely: "The tale of divine pity was never yet believed from lips that had not first been moved by human pity."
Notice how Herod's conscience tormented him! He had begun to feel that scourge, which has never failed to find and follow out the murderer, from Cain onward. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 9

1  Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach
7  Herod desires to see Jesus
10  The apostles return
12  Jesus feeds five thousand;
18  inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23  proposes to all the pattern of his patience
28  The transfiguration
37  He heals the lunatic;
43  again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46  commends humility;
51  bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge
57  Many would follow him, but upon conditions

Greek Commentary for Luke 9:7

All that was done [τα γινομενα παντα]
Present middle participle, “all that was coming to pass.” [source]
He was much perplexed [διηπορει]
Imperfect active of διαπορεω — diaporeō to be thoroughly at a loss, unable to find a way out Neat Greek idiom, the articular passive infinitive after οτι — dia Three reports came to the ears of Herod as Luke has it, each introduced by υπο τινων — hoti (that) in indirect discourse: “By some” (υπο τινων δε — hupo tinōn), “by some” (αλλων δε υπο — hupo tinōn de), “by others” (ηγερτη — allōn de επανη — hupo not here expressed, but carried over). The verbs in the indirect discourse here (Luke 9:7, Luke 9:8) are all three aorists (ανεστη — ēgerthē first passive; ephanē second passive; anestē second active), not past perfects as the English has them. [source]
Because it was said [δια]
Neat Greek idiom, the articular passive infinitive after οτι — dia Three reports came to the ears of Herod as Luke has it, each introduced by υπο τινων — hoti (that) in indirect discourse: “By some” The verbs in the indirect discourse here (Luke 9:7, Luke 9:8) are all three aorists (ανεστη — ēgerthē first passive; ephanē second passive; anestē second active), not past perfects as the English has them. [source]
The tetrarch []
See on Matthew 14:1. [source]
That was done [τὰ γινόμενα]
The present participle. Lit., all that is being done. [source]
Was perplexed [διηπόρει]
Used by Luke only. From διά , through, and ὰπορέω , to be without a way out. The radical idea of the compound verb seems to be of one who goes through the whole list of possible ways, and finds no way out. Hence, to be in perplexity. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 9:7

Mark 6:14 Therefore do these powers work in him [δια τουτο ενεργουσιν αι δυναμεις εν αυτωι]
“A snatch of Herod‘s theology and philosophy” (Morison). John wrought no miracles (John 10:41), but if he had risen from the dead perhaps he could. So Herod may have argued. “Herod‘s superstition and his guilty conscience raised this ghost to plague him” (Gould). Our word energy is this same Greek word here used It means at work. Miraculous powers were at work in Jesus whatever the explanation. This all agreed, but they differed widely as to his personality, whether Elijah or another of the prophets or John the Baptist. Herod was at first much perplexed (διηπορει — diēporei Luke 9:7 and Mark 6:20). [source]
Luke 23:8 Of a long time [εχ ικανων χρονων]
For this idiom, see note on Luke 8:27; the note on Luke 20:9; and note on Acts 8:11).He hoped (ηλπιζεν — ēlpizen). Imperfect active. He was still hoping. He had long ago gotten over his fright that Jesus was John the Baptist come to life again (Luke 9:7-9).Done Present middle participle. He wanted to see a miracle happening like a stunt of a sleight-of-hand performer. [source]
Luke 23:8 He hoped [ηλπιζεν]
Imperfect active. He was still hoping. He had long ago gotten over his fright that Jesus was John the Baptist come to life again (Luke 9:7-9). [source]
Luke 9:7 He was much perplexed [διηπορει]
Imperfect active of διαπορεω — diaporeō to be thoroughly at a loss, unable to find a way out Neat Greek idiom, the articular passive infinitive after οτι — dia Three reports came to the ears of Herod as Luke has it, each introduced by υπο τινων — hoti (that) in indirect discourse: “By some” (υπο τινων δε — hupo tinōn), “by some” (αλλων δε υπο — hupo tinōn de), “by others” (ηγερτη — allōn de επανη — hupo not here expressed, but carried over). The verbs in the indirect discourse here (Luke 9:7, Luke 9:8) are all three aorists (ανεστη — ēgerthē first passive; ephanē second passive; anestē second active), not past perfects as the English has them. [source]
Luke 9:7 Because it was said [δια]
Neat Greek idiom, the articular passive infinitive after οτι — dia Three reports came to the ears of Herod as Luke has it, each introduced by υπο τινων — hoti (that) in indirect discourse: “By some” The verbs in the indirect discourse here (Luke 9:7, Luke 9:8) are all three aorists (ανεστη — ēgerthē first passive; ephanē second passive; anestē second active), not past perfects as the English has them. [source]
Acts 2:12 Were in doubt [διηπόρουν]
Used by Luke only. See on Luke 9:7. Better, as Rev., perplexed. [source]
Acts 10:17 Doubted [διηπόρει]
See on Luke 9:7. [source]
Acts 10:17 Was much perplexed in himself [en heautōi diēporei)]
Imperfect active of diaporeō intensive compound (dia thoroughly, and a privative and poros way), to be completely at a loss to know what road to take. Old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke and Acts. Page notes that Luke is singularly fond of verbs compounded with dia See note on Luke 9:7 and note on Acts 2:12. When out of the ecstasy he was more puzzled than ever. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 9:7 mean?

Heard of now Herod the Tetrarch the things being done all and was perplexed because - it was said by some - John has been raised out from [the] dead
Ἤκουσεν δὲ Ἡρῴδης τετραάρχης τὰ γινόμενα πάντα καὶ διηπόρει διὰ τὸ λέγεσθαι ὑπό τινων ὅτι Ἰωάννης ἠγέρθη ἐκ νεκρῶν

Ἤκουσεν  Heard  of 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
Ἡρῴδης  Herod 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἡρῴδης  
Sense: the name of a royal family that flourished among the Jews in the times of Christ and the Apostles.
τετραάρχης  Tetrarch 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τετράρχης  
Sense: a tetrarch.
τὰ  the  things 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
γινόμενα  being  done 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
διηπόρει  was  perplexed 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διαπορέω  
Sense: to be entirely at loss, to be in perplexity.
διὰ  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λέγεσθαι  it  was  said 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
τινων  some 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Ἰωάννης  John 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
ἠγέρθη  has  been  raised 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.
ἐκ  out  from 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
νεκρῶν  [the]  dead 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: νεκρός  
Sense: properly.