Luke 24:37

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

But, being agitated and becoming, afraid, they began to imagine, that, upon a spirit, they were looking.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
This surprised the followers. They were afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And they were abasshed and afrayde supposinge yt they had sene a sprete

Hebrew Names Version
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

International Standard Version
They were startled and terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost.Mark 6:49;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
But they were startled and frightened, and thought that they were looking at a spirit.

New Century Version
They were fearful and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

Update Bible Version
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

Webster's Bible Translation
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

English Standard Version
But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.

World English Bible
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But being terrified and affrighted, they thought they saw a spirit.

Weymouth's New Testament
Startled, and in the utmost alarm, they thought they were looking at a spirit;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But thei weren affraied and agast, and gessiden hem to se a spirit.

English Revised Version
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

Berean Standard Bible
But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.

Contemporary English Version
They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

Amplified Bible
But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

American Standard Version
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

Bible in Basic English
But they were full of fear, being of the opinion that they were seeing a spirit.

Complete Jewish Bible
Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost.

Darby Translation
But they, being confounded and being frightened, supposed they beheld a spirit.

Etheridge Translation
I am; fear not. And they were troubled, and were in fear; for they thought they beheld a spirit.

Murdock Translation
And they were in trepidation and fear, for they supposed they saw a spirit.

King James Version (1611)
But they were terrified, and afrighted, and supposed that they had seene a spirit.

New Living Translation
But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

New Life Bible
But they were afraid and full of fear. They thought they saw a spirit.

New Revised Standard
They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But they were abashed and afraide, supposing that they had seene a spirit.

George Lamsa Translation
And they were confused and frightened, for they thought they saw a spirit. The walk to Emmaus.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit.

Revised Standard Version
But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But they were abasshed and afrayde, & supposed that they had seene a spirite.

Good News Translation
They were terrified, thinking that they were seeing a ghost.

Christian Standard Bible®
But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

King James Version
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Lexham English Bible
But they were startled and became terrified, and thought they had seen a ghost.

Literal Translation
But being terrified, and being filled with fear, they thought they saw a spirit.

Young's Literal Translation
and being amazed, and becoming affrighted, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But they were abashed and afrayed, supposinge that they had sene a sprete.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but they were in a consternation and fright, imagining, that they saw a spirit.

New English Translation
But they were startled and terrified, thinking they saw a ghost.

New King James Version
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But the boys didn't have peace, they were scared out of their minds. They thought a ghost had shown up.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

Legacy Standard Bible
But being startled and frightened, they were thinking that they were seeing a spirit.

Contextual Overview

³⁶ Now, as, these very things, they were telling, he himself, stood in their midst ³⁷ But, being agitated and becoming, afraid, they began to imagine, that, upon a spirit, they were looking. ³⁸ And he said unto them - Why are ye troubled? and for what cause do reasonings arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands, and my feet, - that it is, I, myself: Handle me, and see! because, a spirit, hath not, flesh and bones, as ye perceive, I, have. ^{40 41} Now, while yet they believed not for the joy, and were marvelling, he said unto them - Have ye anything to eat, here? ⁴² And they gave unto him a piece of boiled fish; ⁴³ and, taking it before them, he did eat. ⁴⁴ And he said unto them - These, are my words, which I spake unto you yet being with you: That all the things that are written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and Psalms, concerning me, must needs be fulfilled. ⁴⁵ Then, opened he their mind, to understand the Scriptures;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Luke 16:30, 1 Samuel 28:13, Job 4:14-16, Matthew 14:26, Matthew 14:27, Mark 6:49, Mark 6:50, Acts 12:15

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:3 - for they Genesis 50:19 - fear not Job 4:15 - a spirit Mark 16:8 - for they trembled Revelation 1:17 - Fear not

Cross-References

Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men! that they were, fair, - so they took to themselves wives of whomsoever they chose,

Genesis 24:1
Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days, - and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things.

Genesis 24:2
So Abraham said unto his servant, elder of his house, ruler of all that he had, - Place, I pray thee thy hand under my thigh;

Genesis 24:3
that I may put thee on oath, by Yahweh God of the heavens and God of the earth - That thou wilt not take a wife for my son, from among the daughters of the Canaanites in the midst of whom, I, am dwelling:

Genesis 24:9
So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, - and sware to him, over this thing.

Genesis 27:46
So then Rebekah said unto Isaac, I am disgusted with my life because of the daughters of Heth, - Should Jacob be taking a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these, of the daughters of the land, wherefore could I wish for life?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But they were terrified and affrighted,.... At the sight of him, and at his sudden appearance among them, without being heard, or seen before, and the doors shut and bolted; they could not tell how to account for it, that it should be Jesus himself risen from the dead in his own body, though they had been just speaking of his resurrection, and had had a confirmation of it from the disciples that went to Emmaus:

and supposed that they had seen a spirit; that what they saw was a phantom, or apparition, or a spirit, that had assumed, and appeared in, the shape of Jesus, and was not he himself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jesus stood in the midst of them - This was when the apostles were assembled, and when they had closed the doors for fear of the Jews, John 20:19. It was this fact, as well as his sudden and unexpected appearance, that alarmed them. The doors were shut, and the suddenness of his appearance led them to suppose they had seen a spirit.

Peace be unto you - This was a form of salutation among the Hebrews denoting a wish of peace and prosperity. See Genesis 43:23. It was especially appropriate for Jesus, as he had said before his death that he left “his peace” with them as their inheritance John 14:27, and as they were now alarmed and fearful at their state, and trembling for fear of the Jews, John 20:19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 37. And supposed that they had seen a spirit. — But if there be no such thing as a disembodied spirit, would not our Lord have shown them their error? Instead of this, he confirms them in their opinion, by saying, A spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have, Luke 24:39; therefore he says, handle me and see me. They probably imagined that it was the soul only of our blessed Lord which they saw; but they were soon fully convinced of the identity of his person, and the reality of his resurrection; for,

1. They saw his body.

2. They heard him speak.

3. They handled him.

4. They saw him eat a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb, which they gave him.

In these things it was impossible for them to have been deceived.