Luke 8 47

Luke 8:47 kjv

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

Luke 8:47 nkjv

Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

Luke 8:47 niv

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.

Luke 8:47 esv

And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.

Luke 8:47 nlt

When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.

Luke 8 verses

Luke 8 47 Meaning

Luke 8:47 describes the public confession and testimony of the woman who had suffered from a blood issue for twelve years. Upon realizing that her miraculous healing by Jesus could not remain hidden, she humbly and fearfully approached Him. Before a crowd of people, she disclosed the precise reason she had touched Him – seeking healing for her long-standing affliction – and testified to the immediate and complete cure she received through her touch of faith. This act transforms a private touch into a public witness, validating Jesus’ divine power and her own faith.

Luke 8 47 Context

Luke 8:47 is embedded within the narrative of Jesus' journey with Jairus to heal his dying daughter. On the way, a large crowd follows Him. Among them is a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years, spending all her living on physicians with no relief (Lk 8:43). Due to her chronic condition, she was considered ceremonially unclean according to Mosaic Law (Lev 15:25-27), isolating her from society and public worship. Desperate, she secretly approached Jesus from behind and touched the fringe of His cloak, believing this act alone would heal her. Immediately, she was cured. Jesus, feeling power go out from Him, asked, "Who touched Me?" (Lk 8:45-46), even though He knew who it was, creating a situation for her public confession and validation. This public confession in verse 47 transforms her private act of faith and healing into a powerful public testimony before the crowds and Jesus Himself.

Luke 8 47 Word analysis

• And when the woman:

  • And when: Connecting the woman's subsequent action to the previous verses, highlighting the transition from her secret touch to her open confession.
  • the woman (γυνή - gunē): Refers specifically to the woman with the issue of blood, previously described. Her anonymity elevates the significance of her faith rather than her identity.

• saw that she was not hid:

  • saw (ἰδοῦσα - idousa): A perceptive seeing, implying she understood or recognized that her act had not gone unnoticed by Jesus.
  • was not hid (οὐκ ἔλαθεν - ouk elathen): "Not escaped notice," or "was not unknown." This phrase is crucial. Jesus' question "Who touched Me?" (Lk 8:45) revealed His divine knowledge. Her attempts at discretion were known to Him, compelling her into the open. It signifies that secrets are known to the divine.

• she came trembling:

  • came (ἦλθεν - elthen): Indicates her immediate response to being recognized.
  • trembling (τρέμουσα - tremousa): This word conveys fear, awe, reverence, and perhaps apprehension. She was ceremonially unclean and had 'dared' to touch a holy man. Her fear could be rooted in violating purity laws, facing public reprimand, or the sheer awe of God's power manifest in Jesus. It signifies a profound submission and recognition of divine authority.

• and falling down before him:

  • falling down (προσπεσοῦσα - prospesousa): To prostrate oneself, often an act of worship, reverence, or deep supplication. It signifies humility, submission, and adoration before one recognized as superior or divine.

• she declared unto him:

  • declared (ἀπήγγειλεν - apēngeilen): To report, to announce fully and publicly. It emphasizes a full, open, and deliberate testimony, not a reluctant admission.

• before all the people:

  • before all the people (ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ - enōpion pantos tou laou): Stresses the public nature of her testimony. This transforms a private healing into a public demonstration of faith and God's power, allowing others to witness and perhaps believe. It prevented speculation or dismissal of the miracle.

• for what cause she had touched him:

  • for what cause (δι' ἣν αἰτίαν - di' hēn aitian): She fully explains her desperate reason, revealing the depth of her suffering and her underlying faith that led her to act.

• and how she was healed immediately:

  • how (ὡς - hōs): She explains the manner of her healing.
  • healed (ἰάθη - iathē): Signifies complete physical restoration.
  • immediately (παραχρῆμα - parachrēma): Emphasizes the instantaneous and undeniable nature of the miracle, underscoring its divine origin and power, leaving no room for gradual improvement or natural recovery.

Luke 8 47 Bonus section

The narrative highlights the distinction between a passive physical touch in a crowd and a purposeful, faith-filled touch. While many in the crowd touched Jesus (Lk 8:45), only this woman’s touch resulted in power going out from Him because it was an act driven by deep faith. Her public testimony in this verse transforms the miracle into a lesson for the crowds, serving as an evangelistic moment. Her healing not only restores her body but also restores her to full social and religious standing, emphasizing Jesus' compassion and power to heal holistically – physically, spiritually, and socially. This also subtly challenges the prevailing understanding of purity laws, showing that Christ's holiness imparts purity rather than being defiled by ritual uncleanness.

Luke 8 47 Commentary

Luke 8:47 illustrates a pivotal moment where divine knowledge intersects with human humility and public testimony. Jesus' gentle but firm query ("Who touched Me?") brings to light what the woman intended to keep secret. This was not to shame her, but to draw out a public confession that would validate her faith and solidify the miracle for all present. Her trembling and falling down reflect a profound reverence for Christ's power and an acute awareness of her unclean state under the Law, combined with a potential fear of reprimand. However, Jesus' subsequent affirmation in Luke 8:48 turns her public shame into public vindication. Her declaration before all the people serves as an undeniable testimony to Jesus' healing power, contrasting sharply with human medical limitations and rigid interpretations of ritual purity. This passage powerfully teaches that authentic faith, even when desperate and initially private, culminates in public acknowledgment of God's work, leading to commendation rather than condemnation.