And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Parallel translations
- WEB Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
- BSB As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
- NKJV Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
- NASB and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why are you seeking the living One among the dead?
- NLT The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?
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 terrified women bowed down, and the angels asked why they sought the living among the dead. The question announces that Jesus is alive.
Overview
Overcome with awe, the women bow as the angels pose a pointed question. By calling Jesus the living one, the messengers declare His resurrection. The words gently rebuke the assumption that He remains among the dead and redirect the women's grief toward the joyful reality that Christ has risen.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Mark 16:5–6And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
- Rev 1:18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
- Matt 28:3–5His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
- Luke 1:12–13And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
- Rev 2:8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
- Dan 10:16And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
- Dan 10:19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
- Dan 10:7–12And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
- Dan 8:17–18So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
- Acts 10:3–4He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
- Heb 7:8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
- Luke 1:29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 24:5 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.