Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Parallel translations
- WEB Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”
- KJV And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
- BSB Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- NASB Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- NLT “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The crowd tries to silence him, but he cries out all the more. Persistent faith refuses to be deterred.
Overview
Those leading the way rebuke the beggar, but obstacles only intensify his appeal. His refusal to be silenced models the persevering prayer Jesus taught earlier in the chapter. Genuine faith presses through opposition to reach Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 32:26–28The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.”
- Ps 141:1A Psalm by David. Yahweh, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.
- Luke 18:15They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
- Luke 11:8–10I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.
- Matt 26:40–44He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?
- Jer 29:12–13You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
- Matt 7:7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
- Luke 18:1He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
- Luke 8:49While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”
- Luke 11:52Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”
- 2 Cor 12:8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
- Luke 19:39Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
- Luke 18:38He cried out, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 18:39 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.