Luke 9:40 kjv
And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.
Luke 9:40 nkjv
So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."
Luke 9:40 niv
I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."
Luke 9:40 esv
And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."
Luke 9:40 nlt
I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn't do it."
Luke 9 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Luke 9:1 | Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons... | Jesus granted authority to them |
| Mark 6:7 | He called the twelve to Him, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over unclean spirits. | Similar delegation of power |
| Matt 10:1 | He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. | Initial authority to disciples |
| Mark 9:18 | Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; and he foams at the mouth... And I spoke to Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not. | Parallel account of failure |
| Matt 17:16 | So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him. | Parallel account of failure |
| Matt 17:19 | Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" | Disciples' post-failure query |
| Mark 9:29 | He said to them, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting." | Jesus' explanation of failure |
| Matt 17:20 | Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed..." | Jesus links failure to faith |
| Luke 9:42 | As he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit... | Jesus successfully casts out |
| John 15:5 | "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." | Dependence on Jesus |
| Heb 3:19 | So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. | Unbelief hinders power |
| Jas 1:6-7 | But let him ask in faith, with no doubting... For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. | Doubt hinders receiving |
| Acts 19:13-16 | ...when some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus... The evil spirit answered... "Jesus I know... but who are you?" | Failure without true authority |
| 2 Ki 4:31 | Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him and told him, "The child has not awakened." | Elisha's servant failed to revive the boy. |
| Zech 4:6 | Then he answered and spoke to me, saying: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." | Power through the Spirit |
| Psa 118:8 | It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. | Trust in God not man |
| Jer 17:5 | Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength..." | Reliance on human strength fails |
| Luke 10:17 | Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." | Subsequent success through His name |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. | Strength from Christ alone |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age... | Spiritual nature of the conflict |
Luke 9 verses
Luke 9 40 Meaning
Luke 9:40 conveys a father's plea to Jesus' disciples to deliver his demon-possessed son, a plea they were unable to fulfill despite having previously received authority from Jesus to cast out demons. It highlights the stark limitation and failure of the disciples in a situation where they were expected to succeed, setting the stage for Jesus' direct intervention and subsequent teaching on faith and power.
Luke 9 40 Context
Luke 9:40 immediately follows the transfiguration of Jesus, an event where Jesus' divine glory was revealed to Peter, James, and John. While Jesus was on the mountain with these three, the other nine disciples remained below. This failure occurs directly after a profound spiritual experience for the select few and contrasts sharply with the broader discipleship group's current struggle. Earlier in chapter 9, Jesus had explicitly given all His twelve disciples "power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases" (Luke 9:1), and they had gone out and successfully "cast out many demons" (Mark 6:13). The context therefore sets up a poignant narrative of delegated power, subsequent human inadequacy, and the necessity of deeper spiritual understanding and faith, preparing the disciples for further lessons on humility, service, and true reliance on God for effective ministry.
Luke 9 40 Word analysis
- And I begged (Greek: κἀγὼ ἐδεήθην, kāgō edeēthēn): "And I" (κἀγὼ, kagō, strong emphasis on "I" too, implying personal, desperate plea). "begged" (edeēthēn) implies an intense supplication, a strong entreaty, reflecting the father's profound desperation and earnestness for his son's deliverance. It underscores the urgency of his need.
- Your disciples (Greek: τῶν μαθητῶν σου, tōn mathētōn sou): "Your disciples" indicates the father's knowledge that these men were associated with Jesus and his expectation that they would possess the power of their Master. Mathētēs means a learner, pupil, or follower. The father's choice of "Your" indicates the recognized connection to Jesus as the ultimate source of authority.
- to cast it out (Greek: ἵνα ἐκβάλωσιν αὐτό, hina ekbalōsin auto): "To cast it out" (ekbalōsin auto) refers to the act of expelling or forcefully driving something out, the standard term used for exorcism. This was a clear act of spiritual warfare, for which the disciples had previously been equipped and successful.
- and they could not (Greek: καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο, kai ouk ēdynanto): "And they" (kai ouk means "and not") followed by "could not" (ēdynanto) is a stark and emphatic statement of their complete inability. Ouk ēdynanto (imperfect indicative of dynamai) conveys their ongoing powerlessness in that moment despite repeated attempts or prior success. This phrase emphasizes a lack of effective power, standing in stark contrast to the authority Jesus had given them (Luke 9:1) and His own consistent power (Luke 9:42). It highlights the disciples' human weakness and limitations without complete reliance on Christ.
- "And I begged Your disciples... and they could not." This whole phrase reveals a profound moment of spiritual crisis and disappointment. The desperate faith of the father collided with the insufficient faith and perhaps mechanical application of delegated power by the disciples. It signals a gap between possessing an anointing and actually exercising it effectively in all situations, particularly those requiring deeper spiritual dependence and discernment.
Luke 9 40 Bonus section
This incident of the disciples' failure is not isolated. It directly precedes Jesus' teaching on various aspects of discipleship, including suffering, humility (Luke 9:46-48), and exclusivity (Luke 9:49-50). The disciples' inability to cast out the demon serves as a practical, real-world example of their need for further spiritual formation and for deeper understanding of the nature of Christ's kingdom power. It foreshadows the coming challenges they would face and the necessity of the Holy Spirit's empowerment after Jesus' ascension. This specific event reminds believers that not all spiritual battles can be won by mere formulas or past anointing; some require profound reliance on God through faith, persistent prayer, and humility, recognizing that power flows from God, not through our own independent strength.
Luke 9 40 Commentary
Luke 9:40 serves as a humbling pivotal point in the disciples' journey, underscoring that delegated authority is not an inherent possession, but contingent upon a vital connection to the Giver of that authority. Their failure in this instance was not due to a lack of Christ's power in principle, but likely due to their own lack of faith, consistent prayer, and reliance on Jesus in the face of a particularly difficult spiritual opposition, as Jesus later explains in parallel accounts (Mark 9:29, Matt 17:20-21). This incident teaches that genuine spiritual power in ministry requires more than just a past impartation; it demands ongoing dependence, spiritual maturity, and unwavering faith in the face of formidable spiritual forces. It prepares the disciples to understand the profound spiritual reality behind outward ministry actions and to cultivate a deeper walk with the Lord.