Luke 24:48 kjv
And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:48 nkjv
And you are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:48 niv
You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:48 esv
You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:48 nlt
You are witnesses of all these things.
Luke 24 48 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem..." | Promise of Spirit empowerment for witnessing |
| John 15:27 | "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning." | Disciples' eyewitness status and purpose |
| Acts 2:32 | "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." | Apostolic witness to Jesus' resurrection |
| Acts 3:15 | "and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses." | Peter's declaration of resurrection witness |
| Acts 5:32 | "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit..." | Shared witness of apostles and Holy Spirit |
| Acts 10:39-41 | "And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem..." | Eyewitness account for Cornelius |
| Acts 13:31 | "and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people." | Early testimony based on appearances |
| Acts 22:15 | "for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard." | Ananias' instruction to Paul (Saul) |
| Acts 26:16 | "But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose..." | Christ commissions Paul as a witness |
| 1 Pet 5:1 | "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ..." | Peter's self-identification as a witness |
| 2 Pet 1:16 | "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." | Personal experience validates truth |
| 1 John 1:1-3 | "That which was from the beginning...which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life..." | John's emphasis on sensory eyewitnessing |
| Matt 28:19-20 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." | The Great Commission parallels the mandate |
| Mark 16:15 | "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." | Parallel commissioning command |
| John 20:21 | "As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." | Apostolic sending and mission |
| Isa 53:5-6 | "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities..." | Prophecy of Messiah's suffering |
| Ps 22:1, 16-18 | "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" | Prophecy of Christ's crucifixion pain |
| Ps 16:10 | "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption." | Prophecy of Christ's resurrection |
| 1 Cor 15:3-8 | "that Christ died for our sins...was buried, that he was raised on the third day...and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve..." | Historical basis for resurrection belief |
| Acts 17:3 | "...explaining that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead..." | Explaining "these things" from scripture |
| Heb 2:3 | "...was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard..." | Apostolic message confirmed by those who heard |
Luke 24 verses
Luke 24 48 Meaning
Luke 24:48 declares the disciples as appointed eyewitnesses to the profound truths Jesus has just revealed: His suffering, resurrection, and the global proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, all fulfilled according to the Old Testament scriptures. This verse emphasizes their unique role as personal recipients of the post-resurrection teachings and appearances, making their testimony the foundational pillar for the burgeoning Christian message.
Luke 24 48 Context
Luke 24:48 appears at the culmination of Luke's Gospel, where Jesus interacts with His disciples post-resurrection. After revealing Himself to them, dispelling their fears, and allowing them to physically verify His resurrection, Jesus opens their minds to understand the Scriptures (Lk 24:45). He then explicitly details the fulfillment of prophecies concerning His suffering, death, and resurrection, followed by the command for repentance and forgiveness of sins to be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem (Lk 24:46-47).
Historically and culturally, the concept of a "witness" (Greek: martys) was vital in ancient jurisprudence and society. Legal and societal truth often relied on the testimony of credible eyewitnesses, typically requiring at least two or three to establish a fact. In this context, the disciples' direct experience with the resurrected Jesus provided an irrefutable foundation for the burgeoning Christian message. Jesus' statement sets them apart as authoritative testifiers to these profound, divine events. It also functions as a gentle polemic against those who would doubt or deny His resurrection, establishing that His appearance and teachings were real, witnessed events.
Luke 24 48 Word analysis
- You (Ὑμεῖς - Hymeis): This pronoun is plural and emphatic, highlighting the specific group of disciples present, including the Eleven and possibly others gathered with them. It underscores their unique, privileged position as direct recipients of Jesus' post-resurrection instruction and appearance. Their identity is inextricably linked to this calling.
- are: This present tense verb emphasizes their current status and identity. It is not merely a future task but a present reality that defines them as those who bear witness. Their role is intrinsically bound to what they have seen and heard.
- witnesses (μάρτυρες - martyres): This term refers to those who have seen and heard a factual event and are qualified to give an account. In this biblical context, it signifies someone who testifies to an event based on personal experience. The word "martyr" originates from this root, reflecting that such testimony might entail suffering or even death for the truth proclaimed. Their witness is not based on speculation or belief alone, but on direct, sensory encounter with the risen Christ.
- of: A preposition indicating belonging or relating to, connecting the "witnesses" directly to the content of their testimony.
- these: A demonstrative pronoun, referring to the specific content Jesus has just explicated in the preceding verses (Lk 24:44-47). It points to verifiable historical and theological facts.
- things (τούτων - toutōn): This plural pronoun encompasses the entire narrative Jesus has just summarized: His suffering, death, and resurrection as foretold in the Old Testament, and the consequent commission to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name to all nations, starting in Jerusalem. It refers to the comprehensive gospel message and its scriptural basis.
Words-group analysis:
- "You are witnesses": This phrase defines the very identity and purpose of the disciples. It implies a divinely appointed and authenticated status, distinct from mere belief or conjecture. They are not merely messengers; they are living testaments because of their unique experience with the resurrected Lord. This establishes their authority to proclaim the Gospel.
- "witnesses of these things": This specifies the precise content of their mandated testimony. It grounds their future proclamation in verifiable, objective facts (Jesus' suffering, death, resurrection) and their profound theological implications (repentance, forgiveness, global mission), all confirmed by scripture. It ensures the message proclaimed is rooted in Christ's accomplished work and God's eternal plan, not human invention.
Luke 24 48 Bonus section
The direct link between Luke 24:48 and Acts 1:8 is crucial. Luke ends his Gospel by establishing the mandate to be witnesses ("You are witnesses of these things"), while Acts begins by providing the means by which they will fulfill this mandate ("But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..."). This indicates that while their personal experience provided the content and authority for their witness, the divine enablement of the Holy Spirit would provide the power to effectively carry out this daunting, global mission. Furthermore, the explicit inclusion of "Jerusalem" in both Luke 24:47 and Acts 1:8 signifies the precise starting point of this world-altering proclamation. The witness originates where the events occurred, ensuring continuity and verifying the facts.
Luke 24 48 Commentary
Luke 24:48 is a pivotal statement, cementing the disciples' role as the foundational carriers of the Christian message. Having appeared physically, opened their minds to scripture, and clarified the theological meaning of His passion and resurrection, Jesus now commissions them. Their unique experience of seeing, hearing, and touching the resurrected Christ gives their testimony unparalleled authority and authenticity. They are not disseminating hearsay or speculative theology, but proclaiming what they have personally witnessed as fact. This commission connects the past (fulfilled prophecy), the present (Jesus' living reality), and the future (the global proclamation of the Gospel), underscoring the necessity of historical truth for spiritual conviction. The witness of these disciples, empowered by the coming Holy Spirit, forms the very bedrock of the early church's evangelistic outreach and continues to resonate through generations, making the core claims of Christianity verifiable and historically grounded.
For practical usage, this verse highlights that true Christian witness often stems from personal experience and revelation, aligning what we have "seen" (understood/experienced of Christ) with the biblical "things" (Gospel truth). Every believer, to some extent, becomes a "witness of these things" by testifying to the reality of Christ in their life, connecting their story to the grand story of redemption.