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And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
Luke 24:50 · New King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
  • KJV And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
  • BSB When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
  • NASB And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
  • NLT Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them.

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

Jesus leads the disciples out toward Bethany and blesses them with lifted hands. His final act on earth is one of priestly blessing.

Overview

Bringing the disciples out as far as Bethany, Jesus lifts his hands and blesses them, a gesture echoing the priestly benediction. The risen Lord departs not in judgment but in grace, conferring blessing on his people. This priestly act points to Christ as the great High Priest who ever intercedes for those he loves.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Acts 1:12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
  • Gen 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing.
  • Matt 21:17He left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.
  • Mark 11:1When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
  • Num 6:23–27“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,
  • Heb 7:5–7They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
  • Gen 27:4Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”
  • Gen 48:9Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
  • Mark 10:16He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
  • Gen 14:18–20Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.

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 24:50YouTube · 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 24:50 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.