And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
Parallel translations
- WEB and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.
- BSB They were astonished at His teaching, because His message had authority.
- NKJV And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority.
- NASB and they were amazed at His teaching, because His message was delivered with authority.
- NLT There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.
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 people are astonished at His teaching, for His word carries authority. Jesus speaks with a power unlike the scribes.
Overview
Jesus' hearers are amazed because His word bears inherent authority, not merely citing tradition. He teaches as one who speaks for God, with the weight of divine truth. This authority will be confirmed immediately by His command over an unclean spirit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Luke 4:36And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
- Matt 7:28–29And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
- 2 Cor 10:4–5(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
- John 6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
- Heb 4:12–13For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Titus 2:15These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
- 1 Th 1:5For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
- 1 Cor 14:24–25But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
- Mark 1:22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
- 2 Cor 4:2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Jer 23:28–29The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
- 1 Cor 2:4–5And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 4:32 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.