The Meaning of Luke 9:39 Explained

Luke 9:39

KJV: And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

YLT: and lo, a spirit doth take him, and suddenly he doth cry out, and it teareth him, with foaming, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him,

Darby: and behold, a spirit takes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it tears him with foaming, and with difficulty departs from him after crushing him.

ASV: and behold, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him sorely.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And,  lo,  a spirit  taketh  him,  and  he suddenly  crieth out;  and  it teareth  him  that he foameth  again,  and  bruising  him  hardly  departeth  from  him. 

What does Luke 9:39 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 9:37-50 - The Greatest Serve The Neediest
When the mountain is bathed in the glory of God we are loath to leave it. But we must not tarry in the enjoyment of its raptures, when the plain contains so much misery. Saints and angels on the one hand, demons on the other! The disciples that have not enjoyed the mountain fellowship have no power over the unclean spirits that haunt men. It is easy to denounce demons; we must do more-we must exorcize them.
But let it never be forgotten that if you are able to cope with the devil, in the power of God, you must be prepared for the Cross, Luke 9:44-45. We cannot die for men, as Jesus did; but we can suffer rebuke and shame with Him, and thus "fill up that which is behind" of His afflictions, Colossians 1:24.
Let us seek the child-heart! We must distinguish between childishness and childlikeness. One of the loveliest pictures of the coming time is Isaiah 11:6. Only childlike souls can tame and conquer the beasts. Let us welcome simple holy souls, and be ourselves of that class; and let us cultivate large-hearted charity toward those who cast out demons, though they be not of our school. [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 9:39

Suddenly [εχεπνης]
Old adverb, but in the N.T. only in Luke‘s writings save Mark 13:36. Used by medical writers of sudden attacks of disease like epilepsy. [source]
It teareth him that he foameth [σπαρασσει αυτον μετα απρου]
Literally, “It tears him with (accompanied with, μετα — meta) foam” (old word, απρος — aphros only here in the N.T.). From σπαρασσω — sparassō to convulse, a common verb, but in the N.T. only here and Mark 1:26; Mark 9:26 (and συνσπαρασσω — sunsparassō Mark 9:20). See Mark 9:17; and note on Matthew 17:15 for variations in the symptoms in each Gospel. The use of μετα απρου — meta aphrou is a medical item.Hardly (μολις — molis). Late word used in place of μογις — mogis the old Greek term (in some MSS. here) and alone in Luke‘s writings in the N.T. save 1 Peter 4:18; Romans 5:7.Bruising him sorely Common verb for rubbing together, crushing together like chains (Mark 5:4) or as a vase (Mark 14:3). See notes on Matthew 17:15 and notes on Mark 9:17 for discussion of details here. [source]
Hardly [μολις]
Late word used in place of μογις — mogis the old Greek term (in some MSS. here) and alone in Luke‘s writings in the N.T. save 1 Peter 4:18; Romans 5:7. [source]
Bruising him sorely [συντριβον αυτον]
Common verb for rubbing together, crushing together like chains (Mark 5:4) or as a vase (Mark 14:3). See notes on Matthew 17:15 and notes on Mark 9:17 for discussion of details here. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 9:39

Acts 13:13 Set sail [αναχτεντες]
First aorist passive participle of αναγω — anagō Thirteen times in the Acts and Luke 8:22 which see. They sailed up to sea and came down First aorist active participle of apochōreō old verb to withdraw, go away from. In the N.T. only here and Matthew 7:23; Luke 9:39. He is called John here as in Acts 13:5 and Mark in Acts 15:39, though John Mark in Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25. This may be accidental or on purpose (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 317). Luke is silent on John‘s reasons for leaving Paul and Barnabas. He was the cousin of Barnabas and may not have relished the change in leadership. There may have been change in plans also now that Paul is in command. Barnabas had chosen Cyprus and Paul has led them to Perga in Pamphylia and means to go on into the highlands to Antioch in Pisidia. There were perils of many sorts around them and ahead (2 Corinthians 11:26), perils to which John Mark was unwilling to be exposed. Paul will specifically charge him at Antioch with desertion of his post (Acts 15:39). It is possible, as Ramsay suggests, that the mosquitoes at Perga gave John malaria. If so, they bit Paul and Barnabas also. He may not have liked Paul‘s aggressive attitude towards the heathen. At any rate he went home to Jerusalem instead of to Antioch, zu seiner Mutter (Holtzmann). It was a serious breach in the work, but Paul and Barnabas stuck to the work. [source]
Acts 13:13 Departed from them [αποχωρεω]
First aorist active participle of apochōreō old verb to withdraw, go away from. In the N.T. only here and Matthew 7:23; Luke 9:39. He is called John here as in Acts 13:5 and Mark in Acts 15:39, though John Mark in Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25. This may be accidental or on purpose (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 317). Luke is silent on John‘s reasons for leaving Paul and Barnabas. He was the cousin of Barnabas and may not have relished the change in leadership. There may have been change in plans also now that Paul is in command. Barnabas had chosen Cyprus and Paul has led them to Perga in Pamphylia and means to go on into the highlands to Antioch in Pisidia. There were perils of many sorts around them and ahead (2 Corinthians 11:26), perils to which John Mark was unwilling to be exposed. Paul will specifically charge him at Antioch with desertion of his post (Acts 15:39). It is possible, as Ramsay suggests, that the mosquitoes at Perga gave John malaria. If so, they bit Paul and Barnabas also. He may not have liked Paul‘s aggressive attitude towards the heathen. At any rate he went home to Jerusalem instead of to Antioch, zu seiner Mutter (Holtzmann). It was a serious breach in the work, but Paul and Barnabas stuck to the work. [source]
Acts 27:7 Many days [εν ικαναις ημεραις]
See note on Luke 7:6 for hikanos Literally, “in considerable days.” With difficulty (ικανος — molis). Used in old Greek, like μολος — mogis (Luke 9:39) from μολος — molos toil (See note on Acts 14:18). Over against Cnidus “Down along Cnidus.” A hundred and thirty miles from Myra, the southwest point of Asia Minor and the western coast. Here the protection of the land from the northwest wind ceased. The wind not further suffering us (μη προσεωντος ημας του ανεμου — mē proseōntos hēmās tou anemou). Genitive absolute with present active participle of προσεαω — proseaō one of the few words still “not found elsewhere” (Thayer). Regular negative μη — mē with participles. They could not go on west as they had been doing since leaving Myra. We sailed under the lee of Crete See note on Acts 27:4. Instead of going to the right of Crete as the straight course would have been they sailed southwest with Crete to their right and got some protection against the wind there. Over against Salmone (κατα Σαλμωνην — kata Salmōnēn). Off Cape Salmone, a promontory on the east of the island. [source]
Acts 27:7 With difficulty [ικανος]
Used in old Greek, like μολος — mogis (Luke 9:39) from μολος — molos toil (See note on Acts 14:18). [source]
Romans 16:20 Shall bruise [συντρίψει]
See on Mark 5:4; see on Luke 9:39. [source]
Revelation 2:27 Shall they be broken to shivers []
The A.V. follows the reading συντριβήσεται , the future tense of the verb. The correct reading is συντρίβεται , the present tense. Render therefore, as Rev., “as the vessels of the potter are broken.” See on Mark 5:4, and see on bruising, Luke 9:39. The σύν togethergives the picture of the fragments collapsing into a heap. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 9:39 mean?

And behold a spirit takes him suddenly he cries out it throws into convulsions him with foaming with difficulty it departs from him bruising
καὶ ἰδοὺ πνεῦμα λαμβάνει αὐτόν ἐξαίφνης κράζει σπαράσσει αὐτὸν μετὰ ἀφροῦ μόγις ἀποχωρεῖ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ συντρῖβον

ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
πνεῦμα  a  spirit 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
λαμβάνει  takes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
ἐξαίφνης  suddenly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐξαίφνης 
Sense: of a sudden, suddenly, unexpectedly.
κράζει  he  cries  out 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
σπαράσσει  it  throws  into  convulsions 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: σπαράσσω  
Sense: to convulse, tear.
ἀφροῦ  foaming 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀφρός  
Sense: foam.
μόγις  with  difficulty 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μόγις  
Sense: hardly, with difficulty,.
ἀποχωρεῖ  it  departs 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποχωρέω  
Sense: to go away, depart.
συντρῖβον  bruising 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: συντρίβω  
Sense: break, to break in pieces, shiver.