Luke 7 15

Luke 7:15 kjv

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

Luke 7:15 nkjv

So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

Luke 7:15 niv

The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Luke 7:15 esv

And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Luke 7:15 nlt

Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Luke 7 verses

Luke 7 15 Meaning

Luke 7:15 describes the immediate and profound outcome of Jesus' command to the deceased son of the widow of Nain. The young man, who was certainly dead and prepared for burial, instantly sat up on the bier, indicating a complete restoration of life and physical capability. Furthermore, he began to speak, demonstrating full cognitive and vocal function. Jesus then personally presented the resurrected son to his grieving mother, highlighting not only His divine power over death but also His deep compassion and His act of restoring the broken family unit and its lost future.

Luke 7 15 Context

Luke chapter 7 begins with Jesus demonstrating His authority over illness and distance by healing the Centurion's servant, showcasing great faith among a Gentile. Immediately following this, Jesus journeys to the town of Nain. There, He encounters a tragic funeral procession carrying the body of a young man, the only son of a widow. This detail highlights the dire vulnerability and profound grief of the mother, who would have lost her sole support and lineage. Jesus' act of raising the son is presented as a spontaneous outflow of His compassion upon seeing the widow's distress (Lk 7:13). The miracle itself (Luke 7:14-15) directly precedes John the Baptist sending his disciples to question Jesus about His identity, making this vivid display of power over death a crucial piece of evidence for Jesus' Messianic claims (Lk 7:22).

Culturally, the loss of an only son for a widow was devastating. She lost not just a loved one but her financial security, social standing, and hope for future descendants. Funerals were communal, public events, involving much wailing and lamentation, making Jesus' intervention all the more striking and undeniable. This miracle directly confronts the finality of death and provides a powerful polemic against any notion that death is an inevitable, unstoppable force even by God, or that God's power would not extend to physical resurrection. It also challenges the Sadducee view, which denied the resurrection of the dead.

Luke 7 15 Word analysis

• And he who was dead (καὶ ὁ τεθνηκώς, kai ho tethnēkōs):

  • τεθνηκώς (tethnēkōs) is the perfect active participle of θνῄσκω (thnēskō), meaning "to die." The perfect tense signifies a completed state, "the one who had died." This emphasizes the undeniable and established fact of his death, making the subsequent resurrection even more miraculous. There was no ambiguity or fainting spell; he was truly deceased.

• sat up (ἀνέκαθισεν, anekathisen):

  • ἀνέκαθισεν (anekathisen) is the aorist active indicative of ἀνακαθίζω (anakathizō), "to sit up straight" or "to rise up and sit." This implies an immediate, decisive, and controlled action, indicating not just a spark of life, but a functional restoration of physical capability. It wasn't a subtle movement but a visible, undeniable change in position from a prostrate, lifeless state. This direct action provides unmistakable evidence of resurrection.

• and began (καὶ ἤρξατο, kai ērxato):

  • ἤρξατο (ērxato) is the aorist middle indicative of ἄρχομαι (archomai), "to begin." This simple verb highlights the initiation of a new activity, following the physical restoration. It denotes that the next action was a spontaneous, direct consequence of life returning.

• to speak (λαλεῖν, lalein):

  • λαλεῖν (lalein) is the present active infinitive of λαλέω (laleō), "to speak" or "to talk." The act of speaking confirms complete neurological and physiological restoration. It signifies the return not just of vital signs, but of conscious thought, comprehension, and the ability to interact verbally with the living. This public act of speech would have cemented the reality of the miracle for all witnesses. The content of his speech is deliberately omitted, as the miracle of him speaking is the key point.

• and Jesus (implied subject based on context): The one performing the miracle, central to the divine power and compassion displayed.

• gave him back (ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν, edōken auton):

  • ἔδωκεν (edōken) is the aorist active indicative of δίδωμι (didōmi), "to give" or "to hand over." This word emphasizes Jesus' intentional act of restoration. It highlights that Jesus wasn't merely bringing life, but specifically re-establishing the familial bond. He didn't just walk away; He actively engaged in the compassionate act of return.
  • αὐτὸν (auton) means "him."

• to his mother (τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ, tē mētri autou):

  • τῇ μητρὶ (tē mētri) is the dative singular of μήτηρ (mētēr), "mother." This detail underscores the emotional core of the miracle. Jesus directly addresses the immense sorrow and loss of the widow by restoring her greatest possession and future hope. The "back" emphasizes the reversal of loss and the restoration of a previously broken relationship. This compassionate act confirms Jesus’ care for the most vulnerable.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "sat up and began to speak": This phrase details the tangible evidence of full restoration from death. It’s not just reanimation, but a return to conscious, interactive life, demonstrated by two critical and undeniable human actions: physical movement and verbal communication. This leaves no room for doubt about the miracle's authenticity.
• "Jesus gave him back to his mother": This highlights Jesus’ profound compassion and His restoration of social and familial order. It's a personal act of comfort and care, addressing the widow's profound grief and economic precarity. It showcases Jesus as a restorer of wholeness, not just physically but in relationship. The personal transfer reinforces the immediate relief and joy brought to the grieving woman.

Luke 7 15 Bonus section

• This is the first of three distinct individuals recorded in the Gospels whom Jesus raised from the dead, each providing increasing degrees of finality in death: Jairus's daughter (recently dead), the widow's son (on the way to burial), and Lazarus (dead for four days).
• Luke's account highlights Jesus' empathy for marginalized groups, particularly women and the poor, making this miracle a strong demonstration of God's heart for the vulnerable. The widow was without social and economic protection in that society.
• The immediate public response to this miracle (Lk 7:16-17) confirms its undeniable nature and significance, leading people to acknowledge Jesus as "a great prophet" and glorify God.
• The event sets the stage for John the Baptist's disciples to inquire about Jesus, providing them with undeniable proof that He indeed was "the one who is to come" by listing "the dead are raised" among the signs of His Messiahship (Lk 7:22).

Luke 7 15 Commentary

Luke 7:15 is the dramatic apex of the Nain miracle. It demonstrates Jesus' absolute authority over death, proving Him to be not just a prophet, but the Lord of life itself. The young man's immediate actions — sitting up and speaking — provide irrefutable evidence of a complete, not partial, resurrection, silencing any potential skepticism. Jesus’ direct action of "giving him back" to his mother underscores His deep compassion, moving beyond merely showcasing divine power to personally ministering to human suffering. This act of restoration provided the grieving widow not only with her son returned from death but also with her future and support restored, revealing Jesus as the empathetic Messiah who intimately cares for the vulnerable and brokenhearted. This miracle powerfully served as a tangible sign, solidifying His Messianic identity to His contemporaries and forever marking Him as the life-giver.