Luke 9 41

Luke 9:41 kjv

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

Luke 9:41 nkjv

Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

Luke 9:41 niv

"You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."

Luke 9:41 esv

Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."

Luke 9:41 nlt

Jesus said, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?" Then he said to the man, "Bring your son here."

Luke 9 verses

Luke 9 41 Meaning

This verse captures Jesus' profound exasperation and grief over the prevalent spiritual state of His generation, characterized by a lack of faith and a tendency towards spiritual corruption. It is a sharp rebuke, directed at the unbelief demonstrated by those around Him, including the disciples who had just failed to cast out a demon, and the crowds who watched on. His rhetorical question reveals the burden He felt while witnessing their continued spiritual hardness, despite His teachings and miraculous works. The verse concludes with an immediate, authoritative command to bring the suffering boy to Him, shifting from lament to compassionate action.

Luke 9 41 Context

Luke chapter 9 marks a significant phase in Jesus' ministry, preceding His determined journey towards Jerusalem. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus empowered His twelve disciples, sending them out to preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick (Lk 9:1-6). They returned with positive reports. This scene is immediately preceded by the profound spiritual experience of Jesus' Transfiguration (Lk 9:28-36), where He spoke with Moses and Elijah about His impending departure in Jerusalem. Descending from that spiritual height, Jesus encounters a scene of stark contrast: the failure of His disciples. A father had brought his demon-possessed son to them, and despite their previous anointing, they could not cast out the demon (Lk 9:38-40). The crowd was disputing, possibly ridiculing the disciples. It is in this environment of public failure and spiritual impotence that Jesus arrives and utters the words of Luke 9:41, highlighting a deeper issue of pervasive unbelief affecting the people and, by extension, His own followers. This illustrates the gap between divine power and the human incapacity rooted in lack of faith.

Luke 9 41 Word analysis

• And Jesus answered and said, This phrase highlights Jesus' direct engagement and authority. His response is not just to the father or the crowd but a deep, burdened outcry against a prevailing spiritual condition.
• O (Ὦ, Oh): A Greek interjection expressing strong emotion—grief, indignation, lament, or sharp reproof. It emphasizes the profound feeling behind Jesus' subsequent words, indicating distress or weariness.
• faithless (ἄπιστος, apistos): Meaning "unbelieving," "without faith," or "distrustful." This term goes beyond a mere intellectual lack of knowledge; it signifies an active refusal or inability to trust in God's power and provision. It points to a deep spiritual deficiency in those around Jesus, hindering the manifestation of God's power.
• perverse (διεστραμμένη, diestrammene): Meaning "twisted," "corrupted," "crooked," or "depraved." It describes something turned out of the right way, spiritually or morally crooked. This indicates a deviation from truth and uprightness, implying spiritual stubbornness and moral degeneracy. It reflects a mindset unwilling to align with God's will and truth.
• generation (γενεά, genea): Refers not only to the specific people living at that time but also to their collective spiritual and moral disposition. It describes a characteristic spiritual climate or moral condition of that particular epoch, rather than merely a temporal group by birth. It signifies a collective character or tendency towards unbelief and distortion.
• O faithless and perverse generation: This phrase serves as a powerful indictment. It combines "unbelief" with "corruption," portraying a generation characterized by spiritual blindness and moral deviation. It harks back to Old Testament rebukes of Israel as a "crooked" or "stubborn" generation (Dt 32:5, Ps 78:8), revealing a continuation of the same spiritual pattern of resisting God.
• how long shall I be with you: A rhetorical question expressing exasperation, weary patience, and the profound burden of encountering spiritual resistance despite His clear revelation of God. It echoes Moses' lament (Nu 14:27) and indicates a deep sorrow over their spiritual inertia and resistance to divine truth and power. It also subtly alludes to His impending departure from them.
• and suffer you (ἀνέχομαι, anechomai): Meaning "to bear with," "endure," "tolerate," "put up with," or "hold oneself against." This word signifies a continued bearing of difficulty or affliction. Here, it refers to the spiritual burden Jesus felt from their lack of faith, their spiritual dullness, and the ongoing struggle to bring them to a place of trust and responsiveness to God's kingdom.
• bring thy son hither: An immediate, authoritative command, shifting from the lament over spiritual stagnation to decisive action. It is an expression of His power and compassion, even amidst His frustration. It bypasses the failures of the disciples and directly addresses the need, showing Jesus' willingness to act where human effort had failed.

Luke 9 41 Bonus section

The concept of the "generation" in Luke 9:41 extends beyond a temporal group; it encompasses a pervasive spiritual condition that characterizes a certain era or people. Jesus' repeated use of "this generation" throughout the Gospels suggests a deliberate confrontation with the spiritual hardness and unbelief prevalent during His ministry, ultimately leading to His crucifixion. This isn't merely about personal shortcomings, but a collective spiritual malaise resistant to the manifest presence of God's kingdom. Jesus' "suffering" (bearing with) their unbelief signifies not just personal inconvenience but the spiritual agony of carrying the burden of human spiritual blindness, which ultimately contributed to His rejection and path to the cross. His final command for the boy to be brought forward underscores that while spiritual apathy burdens Him, it never diminishes His compassion or willingness to heal, provided there is a direct appeal and obedience to His will. This moment vividly portrays the dynamic tension between divine power available through faith and the tragic human resistance to it.

Luke 9 41 Commentary

Luke 9:41 is a pivotal statement reflecting Jesus' profound frustration with the pervasive unbelief and spiritual crookedness he encountered, even among those closest to him. His sharp rebuke, "O faithless and perverse generation," is not just aimed at the scribes who might have been present, or the questioning crowd, but also implicitly at His disciples whose recent failure underscored their own faith deficiencies. The term "perverse" (twisted, corrupt) indicates a deep-seated spiritual opposition to divine truth, beyond mere ignorance, and mirrors Old Testament descriptions of rebellious Israel. Jesus' question, "how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?", conveys the weight of enduring such spiritual resistance and highlights His impending departure, making the call to faith all the more urgent. Despite this deep lament, Jesus' compassionate character immediately reasserts itself as He moves to directly address the suffering, commanding the father to "bring thy son hither." This demonstrates that even in the face of spiritual inadequacy, Jesus remains ready and able to act when approached in simple, direct obedience. This verse calls believers to examine their own faith, recognizing that true power resides not in method or mere discipleship, but in radical trust in Christ.