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When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
Luke 22:49 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
  • KJV When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
  • BSB Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”
  • NKJV When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
  • NLT When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!”

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

Seeing what is coming, the disciples ask whether they should strike with the sword. Their question shows zeal without understanding.

Overview

The disciples react to the arrest by proposing armed resistance. Their impulse reflects loyalty but misjudges Jesus' purpose and the nature of His Kingdom. Their question sets up Jesus' rebuke of violence and His healing of the wounded man.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 1

  • Luke 22:38They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “That is enough.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 22:49YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 22:49 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.