But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are.
Parallel Translations
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But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are.
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Iesus turned about and rebuked them sayinge: ye wote not what maner sprete ye are of.
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But Iesus turned about, and rebuked them, and said, Ye knowe not of what spirit ye are.
Cross-references (22)
Passages linked to Luke 9:55 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Job 2:10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.
- Job 26:4 To whom have you uttered words? Whose spirit came out of you?
- Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”
- 1 Peter 3:9 not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
- Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Job 31:29-31 “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse); if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
- Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- Matthew 26:51 Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear.
- Numbers 20:10-12 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?” Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came out abundantly. The congregation and their livestock drank. Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you didn’t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
- 1 Samuel 24:4-7 David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly. Afterward, David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. He said to his men, “Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.” So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
- 1 Samuel 26:8-11 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.” David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against Yahweh’s anointed, and be guiltless?” David said, “As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. Yahweh forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
- 2 Samuel 19:22 David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”
- Job 34:4-9 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good. For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right: Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’ What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water, Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men? For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’
- Job 35:2-4 “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’ that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you, and your companions with you.
- Job 42:6 Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
- Matthew 26:33 But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”
- Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
- Acts 23:3-5 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?” Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?” Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
- James 3:10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- Proverbs 9:8 Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.
- John 16:9 about sin, because they don’t believe in me;
- Acts 26:9-11 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain So speak the Hebrews, that is, you know not…
So speak the Hebrews, that is, you know not what will, mind, and counsel you are of: so the gifts of God are called the spirit, because they are given of God’s Spirit, and so are they, that are contrary to them, which proceed of the wicked spirit, as the spirit of covetousness, of pride, and madness.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said,…
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Ver. 55. But he turned and rebuked them] He did it not slightly, and by-the-by, but seriously, and on set purpose; so must we rebuke and rebate our vindictive spirits, our unruly lusts, when like kine in a strait they rush and ride one upon the back of another.
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Ye know not what manner of spirits ye are of] Not of Elias’s spirit, as ye imagine; this wildfire was never kindled on God’s hearth, as his zeal was; you are men of another mould than Elias. He was a minister of indignation, you of consolation; his actions fit not you, because your persons are not like his. It is a rare thing to be of a heroic spirit, saith the moralist, Σπανιον το θειον ανδρα ειναι (Aristot.). Every man cannot be an Elias or a Phineas, Num 25:8. To that height of heat ordinary men’s tempers are not raised.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The term spirit sometimes signifies, the inward motions, propensities,…
The term spirit sometimes signifies, the inward motions, propensities, and inclinations of the soul, influenced either from the Holy Spirit of God, or from the evil spirit. So the term is used 2Ti 1:7. You do not (saith our Saviour) consider what kind of motions these are, which you indulge yourselves in. The case of Elijah and this case had three remarkable differences.
1. The people of Israel at that time had been in an apostasy but of few years comparatively to these Samaritans; they were fallen into it in the sight of the true worship of God, at that time upheld in Judah. They were not only stiff in it, but the king sends these captains to apprehend Elijah for declaring what God had commanded him to declare. These Samaritans were under the prejudices of antiquity, and prescription for many hundreds of years. Histories tell us, that the Samaritan temple, on Mount Gerizim, built in opposition to the temple at Jerusalem, was built by one Sanballat, Darius’s governor in those parts, to be revenged on the Jews for turning his son-in-law Manasseh from the priesthood at Jerusalem, which if it be true, the Samaritans had been fixed now in their false worship more than five hundred years. Nor were these that we read of any of the heads and rulers, but probably ordinary country people, rooted so long in this corrupt way, and doing this in zeal to their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and so inclined to show no favour to those who in any devotion were going to the opposite temple. Christ pitieth them under these prejudices, and though he doth not approve of their worship, yet he did not think that the way to change their minds was to call for fire from heaven against them, nor would he be so severe against them. It is not the will of God that we should approve of any corrupt worship, and join with those that use it; but neither is it his will that we should by fire and sword go about to suppress it, and bring men off from it. Antiquity, or the practice of our forefathers, is no sufficient plea to justify any worship. (It was the Samaritans’ plea, Joh 4:20) But yet where any such prejudice against the truth is, it calleth to us for mild and gentle behaviour towards such as are under those disadvantages for the receiving of the truth.
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2. But, secondly, there was a difference in the call of Elijah. He was an extraordinary prophet, who did nothing of this nature but by an immediate impulse and direction; so as what he did was in zeal for God, guided by a knowledge of the will of God. The disciples had no such call.
3. The times differed; Elijah acted under the legal dispensation, which was more severe; they were under the more mild and gentle dispensation of the gospel. And in this question they did but indulge their passions, and sinful desire of revenge; therefore, saith our Saviour,
Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Our Saviour lets them know that they were under a more mild and gentle dispensation, by propounding his own example: The Son of man (saith he) came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save. The term translated lives signifieth also souls; but if we consider the apostles’ question, which was not whether they should call for fire from heaven to destroy their souls, but to destroy them as to their lives here, it will well enough justify our translators rendering it in this place lives. You see, saith our Saviour, by my healing the sick, raising the dead, &c., that my business is not to make my ministry ungrateful to men, by any ways prejudicing them in their outward concerns. If it were translated souls, it is yet a great truth: Christ came not to destroy men’s souls, but to bring the means of salvation and eternal happiness; if they reject these, and perish, their destruction is of themselves.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Here we have our Saviour’s censure of the rash…
Here we have our Saviour’s censure of the rash and hot motion of his disciples, which proceeded first from ignorance of themselves, Ye know not what spirit ye are of; you are not now under the rough and sour dispensation of the law, but under the calm and gentle institution of the gospel, which designs universal love, peace, and good-will, to all mankind.
Hence learn, first, that a cruel and revengeful spirit is directly contrary to the design and temper of Christianity.
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Secondly, that no difference in religion, no pretence of zeal to God, can warrant and justify such a spirit and temper.
Again, this rashness in the disciples proceeded from their ignorance of Christ their Lord and Master, as well as of themselves: the Son of man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them; that is, the proper intent and design of my coming was to save, and not to destroy, though the accidental event of it may be otherwise, through the malice and perverseness of men.
Learn, that it is the design of Christ and his holy religion to discountenance all fierceness, rage, and cruelty, in men, one towards another, and to inspire them universally with a spirit of love and unity. Christ is so far from allowing us to persecute them that hate us, that he forbids us to hate them that persecute us.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes,.... Both…
And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes,.... Both the words of this man to Christ, and Christ's answer to him, are exactly the same as in Matthew, which makes it look as if it was the same history; though it is not improbable, that Christ might be accosted in the same manner by another person, at another time and place, and return a like answer to each; See Gill on Mat 8:20.
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Luke 9:59
luk 9:59
luk 9:59
luk 9:59And he said unto another, follow me,.... According to Matthew, one of his disciples, who had attended him some time, and whom he now called to the ministerial work; See Gill on Mat 8:20. The Ethiopic version reads, "another said to him, shall I not follow thee?" but without any foundation: they are certainly the words of Christ, directed to another person, at the same time he met with the former:
but he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father; See Gill on Mat 8:21.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Ye know not what manner of spirit - The…
Ye know not what manner of spirit - The spirit of Christianity is. It is not a spirit of wrath and vengeance, but of peace, and gentleness, and love.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit…
Verse 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.] Ye do not consider that the present is a dispensation of infinite mercy and love; and that the design of God is not to destroy sinners, but to give them space to repent, that he may save them unto eternal life. And ye do not consider that the zeal which you feel springs from an evil principle, being more concerned for your own honour than for the honour of God. The disciples of that Christ who died for his enemies should never think of avenging themselves on their persecutors.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are…
Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of - You suppose that you are actuated by a proper love for me; but you know not yourselves. It is rather a love of revenge; rather revengeful feelings toward the “Samaritans” than proper feelings toward “me.” We learn here:
That “apparent” zeal for God may be only improper opposition toward our fellow-men. That people, when they wish to honor God, should examine their spirit, and see if there is not lying at the bottom of their professed zeal for God some bad feeling toward their fellow-men. That the highest opposition which Jesus met with was not inconsistent with “his” loving those who opposed him, and with his seeking to do them good.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain You know not of what spirit you are, i.e.…
You know not of what spirit you are, i.e. that my Spirit, which you ought to follow, is the Spirit of mercy, mildness, and patience. (Witham)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain know not what . . . spirit--The thing ye…
know not what . . . spirit--The thing ye demand, though in keeping with the legal, is unsuited to the genius of the evangelical dispensation. The sparks of unholy indignation would seize readily enough on this example of Elias, though our Lord's rebuke (as is plain from Luk 9:56) is directed to the principle involved rather than the animal heat which doubtless prompted the reference. "It is a golden sentence of Tillotson, Let us never do anything for religion which is contrary to religion" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 55. What manner of spirit—We do not understand by…
55. What manner of spirit—We do not understand by these words, that these apostles knew not the nature of their own temper or spirit; but that they knew not the spirit of the dispensation to which they belonged. When the fifties of the wicked king came to Elijah he said, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down;” thus demonstrating his prophetic character by a miracle of destruction. But the Son of man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. Miracles of wrath belong not to his and their mission. They forget the spirit of their dispensation. This was assigning a reason why they knew not the spirit to which they belonged; and not, as many interpret it, the spirit which belonged to them. At the same time it points to a fact too wonderful and too glorious for these apostles or the evangelists to invent, that the miracles of Jesus are throughout miracles of love and mercy. None but the great divine Original himself could have conceived such a character and thus have demonstrated its divinity forever.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye…
55. Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of] The whole of this passage down to “save them” is omitted in K, A, B, C, and other manuscripts; but it is impossible to doubt its genuineness, because it breathes a spirit far purer, loftier, and rarer than is ever discernible in ecclesiastical interpolations. It was omitted on the same grounds as the words in the last verse, because it was regarded as ‘dangerous’ to the authority of the O.T. It is quite impossible to believe that the narrative abruptly ended with the unexplained “He rebuked them.” Ecclesiastical censurers have failed to see that “religionis non est religionem cogere” (Tert. ad Scap. 2), and that, as Bp Andrewes says, “The times require sometimes one spirit, sometimes another, Elias’ time Elias’ spirit.” The Apostles learnt these truths better when they had received the Holy Ghost (Rom_12:19; Jas_1:19-20; Jas_3:16-17; Joh_3:17; Joh_12:47). They learnt that the spirit of Jesus was the spirit of the dove; and that there is a difference between Carmel and Hermon, between Sinai and Kurn Hattin. It is possible that the words may be a question —Know ye not that yours (emphatically placed last) is the spirit of Elijah, not of Christ? Our Lord quoted Psa_22:31 on the Cross, and yet prayed for His enemies. Bengel.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (55) Ye know not what manner of spirit ye…
(55) Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.—The words admit of two constructions: (1) that the disciples did not know that the Spirit that had been given “not by measure” to their Master, and promised by Him to them (Mat_10:20; Joh_3:34), was one of gentleness and love; (2) that they did not know that in yielding to what they thought a righteous anger, they were really yielding themselves to the evil mind, or the personal Evil Spirit which was at enmity with God. Looking to the general use of the word “spirit” in our Lord’s teaching, the former way of taking the words seems, on the whole, preferable, and agrees better with what follows. The Spirit which had claimed them for its own was one that led Him to save and not to destroy. The whole clause, however, is wanting in the best MSS.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain But he turned, and rebuked them. "Christ wrought miracles…
But he turned, and rebuked them. "Christ wrought miracles in every element except fire. Fire is reserved for the consummation of the age" (Bengel). And said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 55. He rebuked them. Their spirit was not his.…
55. He rebuked them. Their spirit was not his. He quietly left the inhospitable village and went elsewhere. He was not a destroyer, but a Savior. Zeal for Christ is no excuse for fanaticism.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.