The Meaning of Luke 4:39 Explained

Luke 4:39

KJV: And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

YLT: and having stood over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her, and presently, having risen, she was ministering to them.

Darby: And standing over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her; and forthwith standing up she served them.

ASV: And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he stood  over  her,  and rebuked  the fever;  and  it left  her:  and immediately  she arose  and  ministered  unto them. 

What does Luke 4:39 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 4:31-44 - Healer And Preacher
In after years the evil spirit cried out, "Jesus I know," Acts 19:15. Evidently our Lord was not only "seen of angels," but closely watched by the fallen spirits, who beheld His every act and listened to every word. What a remarkable verdict was that given in Luke 4:34! Those who know most of evil are most certain of the ultimate woe which awaits its votaries; and they know genuine goodness when they meet it. Our Lord had overcome the prince of demons, and could therefore command His household.
We need to be delivered from the fever of passion, caught in the low-lying marshes of our lives; to have Christ's hands laid upon our sicknesses and wounds; to be delivered from evil things that haunt our hearts. Then we must help Him in similar services to others. But if He must have His quiet prayer times, so must we, Luke 4:42. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 4

1  The fasting and temptation of Jesus
14  He begins to preach
16  The people of Nazareth marvel at words, but seek to kill him
33  He cures one possessed of a demon,
38  Peter's mother-in-law,
40  and various other sick persons
41  The demons acknowledge Jesus, and are reproved for it
42  He preaches through the cities of Galilee

Greek Commentary for Luke 4:39

He stood over her [επιστας επανω αυτης]
Second aorist active participle. Only in Luke. Surely we are not to take Luke to mean that Jesus here took the exorcist‘s position and was rebuking a malignant personality. The attitude of Jesus is precisely that of any kindly sympathetic physician. Mark 1:31; Matthew 8:15 mention the touch of her hand rather than the tender look over her head. [source]
Rebuked [επετιμησεν]
Only in Luke. Jesus bade the fever leave her as he spoke to the wind and the waves and Luke uses this same verb (Luke 8:24).Rose up and ministered (αναστασα διηκονει — anastāsa diēkonei). Second aorist active participle as in Luke 4:38, but inchoative imperfect tense διηκονει — diēkonei from διακονεω — diakoneō (note augment of compound verb). She rose up immediately, though a long high fever usually leaves one very weak. The cure was instantaneous and complete. She began to minister at once and kept it up. [source]
Rose up and ministered [αναστασα διηκονει]
Second aorist active participle as in Luke 4:38, but inchoative imperfect tense διηκονει — diēkonei from διακονεω — diakoneō (note augment of compound verb). She rose up immediately, though a long high fever usually leaves one very weak. The cure was instantaneous and complete. She began to minister at once and kept it up. [source]
He stood over her []
As a physician might do. Peculiar to Luke. [source]
Rebuked []
Peculiar to Luke. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 4:39

Luke 3:3 Remission [ἄφεσιν]
See on James 5:15. The word occurs in Luke more frequently than in all the other New Testament writers combined. Used in medical language of the relaxation of disease. Both Luke and John use the kindred verb ἀφίημι , in the same sense. Luke 4:39; John 4:52. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 4:39 mean?

And having stood over her He rebuked the fever it left her immediately then having arisen she began to serve them
καὶ ἐπιστὰς ἐπάνω αὐτῆς ἐπετίμησεν τῷ πυρετῷ ἀφῆκεν αὐτήν παραχρῆμα δὲ ἀναστᾶσα διηκόνει αὐτοῖς

ἐπιστὰς  having  stood 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐφίστημι  
Sense: to place at, place upon, place over.
ἐπάνω  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπάνω  
Sense: above.
αὐτῆς  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐπετίμησεν  He  rebuked 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιτιμάω  
Sense: to show honour to, to honour.
πυρετῷ  fever 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: πυρετός  
Sense: fiery heat.
ἀφῆκεν  it  left 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
αὐτήν  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
παραχρῆμα  immediately 
Parse: Adverb
Root: παραχρῆμα  
Sense: immediately, forthwith, instantly.
ἀναστᾶσα  having  arisen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.
διηκόνει  she  began  to  serve 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διακονέω  
Sense: to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.