Luke 24:16 kjv
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Luke 24:16 nkjv
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
Luke 24:16 niv
but they were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:16 esv
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:16 nlt
But God kept them from recognizing him.
Luke 24 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Luke 24:31 | "their eyes were opened and they recognized him" | Fulfilled recognition of Jesus |
| Gen 18:1-2 | "Abraham looked up and saw three men standing near him" | Angels appearing in human form |
| Gen 19:1 | "the two angels came to Sodom in the evening" | Angels in disguised appearance |
| Judg 6:12-16 | "the angel of the LORD appeared to him" | God appearing and conversing |
| Josh 5:13 | "Joshua looked up and saw a man standing before him" | Apparent manifestation of Christ |
| Matt 17:1-6 | Transfiguration event, disciples saw Moses and Elijah | Revelation of Jesus' divine glory |
| Mark 9:2-8 | Similar account of the Transfiguration | Witness to Jesus' divine nature |
| John 20:14 | "Mary turned and saw Jesus standing there" | Recognizing Jesus in resurrected form |
| John 20:17 | "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me'" | Post-resurrection interactions |
| John 21:4 | "Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it" | Unrecognized presence of Jesus |
| Acts 1:4 | "he instructed them not to leave Jerusalem" | Jesus' final instructions |
| Acts 1:10 | "the two men in white said, 'Why do you stand gazing...'" | Angelic presence with disciples |
| 1 Cor 15:44-45 | "a spiritual body," "the last Adam became a life-giving spirit" | Nature of resurrection body |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | "the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers" | Spiritual blindness |
| Heb 13:2 | "some have entertained angels without knowing it" | Unrecognized divine visitors |
| Gal 3:19-20 | The Law given through mediators | God's covenant through mediators |
| Acts 2:36 | "Therefore let all Israel know for certain..." | Jesus' divine enthronement |
| Eph 3:4-5 | Mysteries of Christ revealed to apostles | Divine revelation |
| 1 Pet 1:10-12 | Prophets searched what time the Spirit indicated | Searching for Christ's revelation |
| Isa 53:3 | "He was despised and rejected by mankind" | Jesus' humility and suffering |
Luke 24 verses
Luke 24 16 Meaning
The eyes of the disciples were "restrained" so they did not recognize Jesus. This hindering of recognition was an act of divine intervention, preventing them from seeing Him clearly for a specific purpose.
Luke 24 16 Context
Jesus has just been resurrected. He is walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. These disciples are dejected, recounting the events of Jesus' crucifixion and the reports of His resurrection, but they do not recognize the One walking with them. Jesus then engages them in conversation, explaining the scriptures concerning Himself. The disciples invite Him to stay with them, and it is during the meal that their eyes are opened and they recognize Him. This happened on the day of His resurrection, the same day the women at the tomb reported His rising.
Luke 24 16 Word Analysis
- kai (και): and, also, even. Connects phrases and clauses.
- hoi (οἱ): the (masculine plural nominative). Article referring to the disciples.
- ophthalmoi (ὀφθαλμοὶ): eyes. Refers to the physical organs of sight.
- autōn (αὐτῶν): their (genitive plural). Possessive pronoun belonging to the disciples.
- ekratēthē (ἐκρατήθη): were restrained, withheld, kept. Passive voice, third person singular aorist indicative of krateō. Implies an active power preventing their vision.
Words Group Analysis
- "Hoi ophthalmkoi autōn ekratēthē" (οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν ἐκρατήθη): Literally "The eyes of them were restrained." This passive construction emphasizes that the restraining force was external and divine, not their own will or ability.
Luke 24 16 Bonus Section
The Greek verb krateō can also mean "to hold fast" or "to have power." Here, its passive use suggests their eyes were held fast, prevented from grasping the reality before them. This instance serves as a precursor to the disciples understanding the deeper spiritual meanings of scripture that they previously could not grasp regarding Jesus' Messiahship and suffering. The inability to recognize Him on the road was a temporary spiritual state, purposeful in God's plan for their faith development.
Luke 24 16 Commentary
This verse highlights God's sovereign ability to conceal and reveal. Jesus, in His resurrected form, could appear and interact with His followers in ways that defied their previous understanding of His earthly body. The disciples' eyes were literally prevented from recognizing Him. This divine restraint served a purpose: it allowed Jesus to engage with them more deeply through scripture, ultimately leading to a more profound moment of recognition and spiritual illumination when they broke bread together. It demonstrates that seeing Jesus truly is not just a physical act but a spiritual revelation.