36While they were speaking of these things, Jesus himself stood in their midst and said to them: "Peace to you." [24:37] Being terrified and filled with fear, they thought they were seeing a ghost. [24:38] Jesus said to them: "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? [24:39] See my hands and my feet — that it is I myself. Touch me and perceive, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." [24:40] And having said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. [24:41] While they still disbelieved from joy and were marveling, he said to them: "Do you have anything here to eat?" [24:42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish. [24:43] Taking it, he ate before them. [24:44] Jesus said to them: "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled." [24:45] Then he opened their mind to understand the Scriptures. [24:46] And he said to them: "So it is written — that the Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, [24:47] and that repentance for forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [24:48] You are witnesses of these things. [24:49] And behold, I am sending upon you what my Father promised. But remain in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
LUK 24:36-49
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, the appearance of a deceased person as a (spirit or ghost) was a familiar concept, often associated with fear and uncertainty. The disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ sudden presence reflects this cultural assumption—they perceive Him as a disembodied spirit, a common belief in both Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts. Jesus’ invitation to (touch) Him underscores the physicality of His resurrection, countering their initial fear. In Jewish thought, resurrection was tied to bodily restoration, not a disembodied existence, making Jesus’ demonstration of His wounds significant. The (reasonings or doubts) in their hearts reflect internal conflict, a struggle to reconcile their expectations with the reality before them. The opening greeting, 'Peace to you,' aligns with Jewish shalom, a wish for wholeness and restoration. Jesus’ emphasis on fulfilling the Scriptures (the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms) anchors His resurrection in Jewish covenantal promises, situating this event within the broader narrative of God’s redemptive plan.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
LUK 24:36
- KJV
- And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
- BSB
- While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
- Koinōnos
- While they were speaking of these things, Jesus himself stood in their midst and said to them: "Peace to you.
LUK 24:37
- KJV
- But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
- BSB
- But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.
- Koinōnos
- Being terrified and filled with fear, they thought they were seeing a ghost.
LUK 24:38
- KJV
- And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
- BSB
- “Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
- Koinōnos
- Jesus said to them: "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
LUK 24:39
- KJV
- Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
- BSB
- Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
- Koinōnos
- See my hands and my feet — that it is I myself. Touch me and perceive, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.
LUK 24:40
- KJV
- And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
- BSB
- And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
- Koinōnos
- And having said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
LUK 24:41
- KJV
- And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
- BSB
- While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
- Koinōnos
- While they still disbelieved from joy and were marveling, he said to them: "Do you have anything here to eat?
LUK 24:42
- KJV
- And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
- BSB
- So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish,
- Koinōnos
- They gave him a piece of broiled fish.
LUK 24:43
- KJV
- And he took it, and did eat before them.
- BSB
- and He took it and ate it in front of them.
- Koinōnos
- Taking it, he ate before them.
LUK 24:44
- KJV
- And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
- BSB
- Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus said to them: "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
LUK 24:45
- KJV
- Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
- BSB
- Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Koinōnos
- Then he opened their mind to understand the Scriptures.
LUK 24:46
- KJV
- And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
- BSB
- And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
- Koinōnos
- And he said to them: "So it is written — that the Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
LUK 24:47
- KJV
- And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- BSB
- and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
- Koinōnos
- and that repentance for forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
LUK 24:48
- KJV
- And ye are witnesses of these things.
- BSB
- You are witnesses of these things.
- Koinōnos
- You are witnesses of these things.
LUK 24:49
- KJV
- And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
- BSB
- And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
- Koinōnos
- And behold, I am sending upon you what my Father promised. But remain in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3
“for he appeared to them alive again the third day; 10 as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him.”
Cited to ground: He appeared to them alive again the third day
Translator's notes
LUK 24:37
- a spirit:The word translated 'a spirit' here refers to a disembodied being, often associated with a ghost or phantom, something without physical substance.
LUK 24:38
- doubts:The term translated 'doubts' carries the sense of an internal debate or questioning, a process of reasoning through conflicting thoughts rather than simple uncertainty.
LUK 24:39
- do touch:The word translated 'do touch' implies a deliberate, investigative touching, often with the sense of groping or feeling around to ascertain something, much like a blind person would.
LUK 24:45
- mind:The word translated 'mind' refers to the faculty of understanding and perception, the seat of intellect and thought, rather than just a general mental state.