And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Parallel translations
- WEB While he blessed them, he withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven.
- BSB While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
- NKJV Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
- NASB While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
- NLT While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.
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
While blessing them, Jesus is carried up into heaven. The ascension marks his exaltation to the Father's right hand.
Overview
In the very act of blessing, Jesus withdraws and is taken up into heaven, an event Luke recounts more fully in Acts 1. The ascension declares that the risen Christ is exalted to reign and to intercede at the Father's right hand. His departure is not abandonment but enthronement, with the promise of the Spirit and his return.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Acts 1:9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
- Mark 16:19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
- John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
- 2 Kgs 2:11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
- Eph 4:8–10Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
- Heb 4:14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
- Heb 1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
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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 24:51 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
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