Luke 24 49

Luke 24:49 kjv

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Luke 24:49 nkjv

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Luke 24:49 niv

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Luke 24:49 esv

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Luke 24:49 nlt

"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."

Luke 24 verses

Luke 24 49 Meaning

This verse contains Jesus' final directive and promise to His disciples before His ascension. He assures them that He will send the Holy Spirit, which He identifies as "the promise of My Father." However, He commands them to remain in Jerusalem until this divine power, originating from heaven, fully indwells and empowers them for their future mission. This empowerment is metaphorically described as being "clothed," indicating a complete envelopment and equipping with spiritual authority and ability.

Luke 24 49 Context

Luke 24 marks the final chapter of Luke's Gospel, recounting Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, culminating in His ascension. The verse occurs during Jesus' last instruction to His disciples before returning to the Father. He has just explained how the Scriptures (OT prophecies) foretold His suffering, death, and resurrection (vv. 44-46), and commissioned them to preach repentance and forgiveness in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem (vv. 47-48). Luke 24:49 is immediately followed by His leading them out to Bethany and His ascension. This command sets the stage for the book of Acts, which Luke also authored, by establishing the prerequisite for their mission: divine empowerment. Historically and culturally, Jerusalem was the spiritual capital of Judaism, a place of immense religious significance. Jesus' instruction to "stay in the city" ties the initial spread of the Gospel directly to this holy city, fulfilling prophetic expectations that God's law would go forth from Zion.

Luke 24 49 Word analysis

• And behold, I am sending: (καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω, kai idou egō apostellō)
  • And behold (ἰδοὺ, idou): An emphatic interjection, calling for immediate and focused attention to what is being said. It signifies something important, profound, and often surprising is about to be revealed.
  • I (ἐγὼ, egō): Emphatic personal pronoun, stressing Jesus' divine agency and authority as the sender of this great promise. He, the resurrected Lord, has the authority from the Father to dispatch the Spirit.
  • am sending (ἀποστέλλω, apostellō): Present tense, indicating certainty and immediacy, yet the action is tied to a future event (His ascension and then the Spirit's outpouring). It's a deliberate act of commissioning or dispatching, implying a specific purpose for that which is sent.
• the promise of my Father upon you: (τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Πατρός μου ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς, tēn epangelian tou Patros mou eph' hymas)
  • the promise (ἐπαγγελίαν, epangelian): This refers directly to the Holy Spirit. It connects the present experience of the disciples with a long line of Old Testament prophecies concerning a divine indwelling (e.g., Joel 2:28-29; Isa 44:3; Ezek 36:27). It's "the" promise because it is the ultimate, climactic promise of the New Covenant that enables all others.
  • of my Father: Establishes the divine origin and ultimate authority behind the promise, highlighting God's faithfulness. This isn't merely Jesus' idea, but a covenantal promise from God Himself.
  • upon you: Indicates a spiritual outpouring, a showering down, an immersion of the Spirit onto the disciples, suggesting abundance and full endowment rather than a partial presence.
• But stay in the city: (ὑμεῖς δὲ καθίσατε ἐν τῇ πόλει, hymeis de kathisate en tē polei)
  • But stay (καθίσατε, kathisate): An imperative verb, commanding them to wait, to remain. It's a strong instruction to halt their activity and posture themselves for reception, rather than immediately rushing into mission. It implies patiently dwelling there.
  • in the city: Specifically Jerusalem, the center of Jewish worship and where Jesus' passion took place. It would be the launching pad for the worldwide mission (Acts 1:8).
• until you are clothed with power from on high: (ἕως οὗ ἐνδύσησθε δύναμιν ἐξ ὕψους, heōs hou endysēsthe dynamin ex hypsous)
  • until (ἕως, heōs): Specifies the duration of their waiting. It's not indefinite but purposeful, waiting for a particular event to occur.
  • you are clothed (ἐνδύσησθε, endysēsthe): A vivid metaphor. Just as one puts on a garment, they would be enveloped and adorned with divine power. This suggests total coverage, immersion, and identification with this new quality, signifying complete empowerment and transformation. It implies the power will be their new spiritual attire for their work.
  • with power (δύναμιν, dynamin): This refers to supernatural ability and enablement, not merely human strength. It's the capacity to perform mighty works, speak boldly, and bring about spiritual transformation (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4, 3:6-8). This power is essential for the seemingly impossible task of global evangelization.
  • from on high (ἐξ ὕψους, ex hypsous): Explicitly states the source of this power as heavenly, divine. It reinforces that this is not humanly generated power or authority, but something originating directly from God.

Luke 24 49 Bonus section

This verse can be seen as an indirect polemic against any notion that the disciples could fulfill the Great Commission through their own intellectual prowess, courage, or pre-existing abilities. It explicitly refutes the idea of a purely human-driven ministry, demanding instead a complete dependence on divine power. It sets the precedent for all Christian service, emphasizing that outward mission must flow from an inward anointing and enablement by the Holy Spirit. The mention of Jerusalem as the place of waiting subtly foreshadows the momentous event of Pentecost where the global mission truly ignites from this very city, echoing Isaiah's prophecy of the law going forth from Zion. The Spirit's power isn't merely an emotional experience but a functional endowment for prophetic speech, miraculous acts, and courageous witness.

Luke 24 49 Commentary

Luke 24:49 serves as a crucial bridge between Jesus' completed work on earth (His resurrection and commissioning) and the commencement of the apostolic mission, which is the focus of Acts. It unveils the fundamental necessity of divine empowerment—the Holy Spirit—for any true Gospel ministry. The command to "stay" highlights a divine principle: ministry effectiveness flows not from human zeal or strategizing, but from humble waiting for God's enabling. The "promise of my Father" is synonymous with the Holy Spirit, reiterating its Old Testament roots and its New Covenant fulfillment through Christ. Being "clothed with power from on high" signifies a total, spiritual transformation and equipment for service. This power is supernatural and heaven-sourced, indicating that the task of making disciples of all nations is fundamentally a divine work that requires divine resources. It distinguishes the disciples' subsequent ministry from any self-reliance or worldly strength, ensuring the glory would belong to God alone.