Luke 18:41 kjv
Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
Luke 18:41 nkjv
saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."
Luke 18:41 niv
"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied.
Luke 18:41 esv
"What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me recover my sight."
Luke 18:41 nlt
"What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he said, "I want to see!"
Luke 18 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 7:7-8 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find... For everyone who asks receives..." | Emphasizes the principle of asking and receiving in prayer. |
| Jas 4:2-3 | "You do not have because you do not ask... You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly." | Highlights the importance of asking, and asking correctly. |
| John 15:7 | "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." | Connects asking and receiving with abiding in Christ. |
| John 16:24 | "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." | Encourages specific, joyful asking in Jesus' name. |
| Phil 4:6 | "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." | Calls for making specific requests known to God. |
| 1 John 5:14-15 | "And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." | Reinforces prayer answered when aligned with God's will. |
| Psa 38:9 | "O Lord, all my longing is before You; my sighing is not hidden from You." | God knows our desires, yet we are to voice them. |
| Eze 36:37 | "Thus says the Lord God: 'Still in this I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.'" | God expects His people to inquire of Him for His purposes. |
| Matt 9:27-31 | Jesus asks two blind men, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" | Jesus often prompted declarations of faith before healing. |
| Mark 10:51-52 | The parallel account where Jesus asks the same question, and the man asks to see. | Direct parallel, confirming the common phrasing and outcome. |
| Luke 18:38 | "And he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'" | The blind man's prior plea for mercy that led to this question. |
| 1 Kings 3:5 | God appears to Solomon and says, "Ask what you wish Me to give you." | God's invitation to make a request is seen in the Old Testament. |
| Mark 10:36 | Jesus asks James and John, "What do you want Me to do for you?" | Another instance where Jesus uses this exact question to His disciples. |
| John 6:5-6 | "Then Jesus, lifting up His eyes... said to Philip, 'Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?' This He said to test him..." | Jesus' questions often served to test or reveal faith/understanding. |
| Isa 35:5 | "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped." | Prophetic fulfillment of physical healing of the blind in Messiah's coming. |
| Isa 42:7 | "To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon..." | Messiah's mission includes opening blind eyes, physically and spiritually. |
| John 9:39 | Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." | Physical blindness healing often symbolizes spiritual sight. |
| Matt 28:18 | "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'" | Establishes Jesus' power and authority to grant such requests. |
| John 14:13-14 | "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." | Assures believers of Jesus' ability and willingness to act on requests in His name. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | Speaks to the divine support for those who approach God in faith. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | Encourages bold, specific prayer for our needs. |
| Gen 32:26-27 | Jacob wrestled and was asked, "What is your name?" – leading to a new identity and blessing. | God often prompts for direct articulation before bestowing a blessing. |
Luke 18 verses
Luke 18 41 Meaning
Luke 18:41 captures a pivotal moment of interaction between Jesus and a blind beggar. The question, "What do you want Me to do for you?", posed by Jesus, serves not as an inquiry due to lack of knowledge, but as an invitation. It draws out a clear, specific declaration of the individual's most urgent need and faith. It compels the one in need to articulate their desire to the One capable of fulfilling it, moving them from a general cry for mercy to a personal and focused request for healing and restoration.
Luke 18 41 Context
Luke chapter 18 details a series of teachings and encounters by Jesus that precede His entry into Jericho and eventual journey to Jerusalem. Leading up to verse 41, Jesus has just taught about the persistent widow and the unrighteous judge, emphasizing the importance of continually praying and not giving up (Luke 18:1-8). This is immediately followed by the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, highlighting the humble and contrite heart in prayer (Luke 18:9-14). Jesus then blesses children and speaks to the rich young ruler about the demands of discipleship, ultimately teaching about the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:15-27). He also predicts His suffering, death, and resurrection again, though the disciples do not fully understand (Luke 18:31-34).
Directly preceding verse 41, Jesus is approaching Jericho, and a blind man is by the road, hearing that Jesus is passing by. He begins to cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38). The crowd tries to silence him, but he cries out even more loudly. Jesus stops, commands that the man be brought to Him, and then asks the question in verse 41. The question follows a general plea for "mercy" and seeks to elicit the specific manifestation of that mercy which the man desires, setting the stage for his miraculous healing in verse 42.
Luke 18 41 Word analysis
- "What" (Τί - Ti): An interrogative pronoun meaning "what." It points to the necessity of a specific, defined answer rather than a general one. It immediately sets the expectation that the response will be a particular request.
- "do you want" (θέλεις - theleis): From the Greek verb thelō, meaning "to will, wish, desire." This highlights the individual's personal volition and desire. Jesus invites the blind man to actively articulate his deepest need and an honest longing, not merely to passively receive. It emphasizes that divine intervention often involves human initiative and expressed need.
- "Me" (σοι ... ποιήσω - soi (for you) connected to poiēsō (I should do)): Although "Me" is not a separate explicit word here in Greek, the phrase "Me to do" points to Jesus Himself as the source of power and action. The Greek verb poiēsō (I should do) is in the first person singular subjunctive, indicating Jesus' readiness to act. This signifies His unique authority and ability to fulfill the man's request, distinguishing Him from ordinary people.
- "to do" (ποιήσω - poiēsō): From poieō, meaning "to make, do, perform." This word focuses on the action Jesus is prepared to take. It signifies tangible, transformative action, not just words or sympathy. It implies that Jesus possesses the power to intervene physically and spiritually.
- "for you?" (σοι - soi): Dative case of "you," meaning "for you" or "to you." This makes the interaction intensely personal and directed. Jesus is addressing the individual's need directly, highlighting His care and personal attention. It emphasizes the direct benefit and specific recipient of the miracle.
Words-group by words-group analysis data:
- "What do you want Me": This phrasing challenges the supplicant to specify their need. It is not an information-gathering question for Jesus, who knows all things, but rather a preparatory question for the supplicant. It serves to engage the blind man's will, bring his request into conscious articulation, and elevate his faith. It prevents a general "give me whatever you want" and requires a precise, faith-filled declaration.
- "to do for you?": This emphasizes the practical, redemptive power of Jesus. It signals that Jesus' purpose is to bring restoration and aid to those in need. It sets the expectation for a miraculous intervention and underlines Jesus' compassionate and active engagement with human suffering.
Luke 18 41 Bonus section
- This seemingly simple question demonstrates Jesus' pedagogical method: He often prompted people to declare their faith and needs before miracles, not to elicit new information but to deepen the relationship and impact. This process allowed the blind man to actively engage in his healing.
- The fact that Jesus stops amidst the bustling crowd, having been the subject of prior crowd control efforts by His disciples (Luke 18:39), underlines His profound compassion and His unwavering attention to the cry of genuine need and faith, even from an marginalized individual.
- The question forces a transition from a general acknowledgment of Jesus' Messianic identity ("Son of David") and His mercy, to a specific, personal benefit derived from that mercy (physical sight). This signifies the intimate and practical nature of Jesus' kingdom.
- This scene offers encouragement for us to be specific in our prayers, not assuming God doesn't want to hear our detailed requests. God desires to know our hearts and for us to articulate our deepest longings in His presence.
Luke 18 41 Commentary
Jesus' question in Luke 18:41 to the persistent blind man, "What do you want Me to do for you?", is profound and pedagogical, not due to ignorance. Even after the man has cried out multiple times for "mercy," Jesus pauses to demand a specific articulation. This highlights several key spiritual principles. Firstly, it draws out and affirms the blind man's specific faith. His general cry for mercy becomes concretized into a distinct request, demonstrating that he believes Jesus can grant this precise thing. Secondly, it is a public acknowledgment of the man's faith and the miracle that is about to unfold. The man's confession ("Lord, that I may receive my sight") becomes a public testimony. Thirdly, it sets a pattern for prayer and petition. While God knows our needs before we ask, He invites and even requires us to articulate our desires to Him. This act of asking expresses our reliance on Him, clarifies our own understanding of our need, and builds our faith in His willingness and ability to respond. It transforms a desperate plea into an active participation in the process of divine grace.