Luke 8:46 kjv

And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

Luke 8:46 nkjv

But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."

Luke 8:46 niv

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."

Luke 8:46 esv

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me."

Luke 8:46 nlt

But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."

Luke 8 verses

Luke 8 46 Meaning

Luke 8:46 records Jesus' profound statement after being touched in a crowd, indicating His immediate, active perception of divine power being transmitted from Him to someone. It signifies Jesus' divine awareness, the inherent nature of His power to heal, and the critical distinction between mere physical proximity and a faith-driven connection that draws out His miraculous ability. He discerned that specific, purposeful contact had accessed and drawn out His healing dynamis.

Luke 8 46 Context

Luke chapter 8 begins with Jesus teaching parables and ministering throughout Galilee, accompanied by His disciples and certain women. Following the calming of the storm and the healing of the Gerasene demoniac, Jesus returns to the west side of the Sea of Galilee. Here, He is met by a large crowd, eager to receive Him. The immediate context of Luke 8:46 is Jesus' journey to the house of Jairus, a synagogue official, whose twelve-year-old daughter is dying. As Jesus is making His way through a dense crowd, He is unexpectedly touched by a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years. This condition had made her ceremonially unclean according to Mosaic Law (Lev 15), ostracizing her from society and preventing her from participation in worship. Having spent all her livelihood on doctors with no cure, she approaches Jesus discreetly, believing that merely touching the fringe of His garment would heal her. Verse 46 marks Jesus' public declaration, prompted by the transfer of power, demanding that the one who touched Him be identified. This highlights Jesus' divine awareness amidst the chaotic crowd and prepares the way for the woman's public confession and further teaching on faith.

Luke 8 46 Word analysis

• But Jesus said (Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Ho de Iēsous eipen): Indicates an immediate, deliberate declaration from Jesus. He is not passively observing but actively perceiving. The use of "But" (δὲ, de) marks a transition from the general crowded scene to a specific, discerned event.
• Someone touched me (Ἥψατό τις μου, Hēpsato tis mou):
  • Ἥψατό (Hēpsato): From haptomai (ἅπτομαι), which means "to touch, grasp, cling to, take hold of." This is stronger than a casual brush. It implies an intentional, seeking touch, possibly even a clinging one, distinguishing it from the accidental bumping of the crowd. The middle voice here suggests the action originating from the toucher, affecting the one touched, further emphasizing its direct and intentional nature from the woman's side.
  • τις (tis): "Someone," "a certain one." Jesus knows it wasn't a general crowd jostle, but a singular, specific act.
  • The Greek verb implies more than just incidental physical contact. It points to a deliberate, faith-filled action that actively sought out a connection.
• for I perceive (ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔγνων, egō gar egnōn):
  • ἐγὼ (egō): "I" - emphasized pronoun, underscoring Jesus' unique personal discernment.
  • γὰρ (gar): "for," "because." It introduces the reason for Jesus' statement. He is not guessing; He knows experientially.
  • ἔγνων (egnōn): From ginōskō (γινώσκω), "to know, come to know, understand, perceive, recognize, experience." This isn't just intellectual knowledge but an experiential, internal, and spiritual recognition. Jesus felt the power leave Him, indicating His active and divine consciousness of every healing. This counters any notion of accidental healing or unawareness on Jesus' part.
• that power has gone out from me (δύναμιν ἐξελθοῦσαν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ, dynamin exelthousan ap’ emou):
  • δύναμιν (dynamin): Accusative of dynamis (δύναμις), meaning "power, inherent ability, strength, miraculous power." This is the supernatural, divine energy of God. It highlights the divine nature of the healing that was enacted. It is not a force on Jesus but inherent within Him, flowing out.
  • ἐξελθοῦσαν (exelthousan): From exerchomai (ἐξέρχομαι), "to come forth, go out." This verb specifies the direction of the power—it originated from Jesus and moved away from Him into the woman. It suggests a dynamic and discernible transfer, rather than a passive effect.
  • ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ (ap' emou): "from me." Explicitly identifies Jesus as the source of this divine power.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Someone touched me": This phrase directly establishes that while many were in physical proximity, only one individual made a distinctive, purposeful touch. It sets up the impending revelation that such a touch was linked to a specific outcome. It refutes the disciples' naive assumption that such a packed crowd meant accidental contact was negligible.
• "for I perceive that power has gone out from me": This is the core revelation. Jesus' statement demonstrates His divine omniscience and omnipotence. He doesn't need to ask who touched Him to understand what happened, only to elicit a confession and public display of faith. The active "perceive" and "gone out" underline Jesus as the conscious agent from whom power emanates in response to faith. It also teaches that divine power is a tangible, discernible force, even for Jesus Himself, emphasizing its reality. It also highlights that this power goes out, not that it is simply drawn passively.

Luke 8 46 Bonus section

The story of the woman with the flow of blood (Lk 8:43-48) is purposefully inserted into the narrative of Jairus's daughter (Lk 8:41-42, 49-56). Both stories involve a female, a condition of "uncleanliness" (Jairus's daughter near death, making the home unclean, and the woman's chronic bleeding), and a span of "twelve years" (the woman's illness, and the daughter's age). This literary interweaving by Luke highlights the breadth of Jesus' healing power—from chronic, stigmatizing illness to death itself—and emphasizes His readiness to minister in both urgent, public crises and private, desperate suffering. Jesus' immediate perception and intentional revelation of the woman's healing, even as He hurried to a critical situation, underscores His meticulous attention to individuals and His desire for faith to be openly acknowledged, providing encouragement and testimony for all who witnessed it.

Luke 8 46 Commentary

Luke 8:46 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating Jesus' divine awareness, the nature of His miraculous power, and the crucial role of faith. In a crowd where countless individuals jostled Him, Jesus immediately discerns the one specific touch of faith that accessed His power. This wasn't a random occurrence; Jesus felt the divine dynamis (power) emanate from Him. This implies a conscious, intentional response of God's power to the woman's deliberate, though discreet, act of faith.

The fact that Jesus stops and inquires, despite knowing precisely what happened, serves several purposes: it reveals the woman's faith publicly, authenticates her healing beyond doubt, and provides a powerful teaching moment for the disciples and the crowd. It differentiates between passive physical contact with the Messiah and an active, believing reach. This dynamic underscores that God's power is not dispensed arbitrarily or through mere proximity, but flows in response to a sincere connection of faith. It also contrasts the inadequacy of human efforts (the woman had spent all her money on doctors) with the efficacy of divine power. Jesus’ declaration also affirms His own self-awareness as the source of miraculous healing, acting as God Incarnate, rather than merely a conduit.

Examples for practical usage:

• In our own lives, many may be "around" Christ through cultural Christianity or church attendance, but only a "touch of faith" brings about transformation and the outflow of His power.
• The verse reminds us that approaching God with genuine faith yields real, tangible results, discerning us from mere seekers of religious routine.