And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
Parallel translations
- WEB When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them.
- BSB At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place, and the crowds were looking for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving.
- NKJV Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;
- NASB Now when day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and they came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them.
- NLT Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave 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 withdraws to a solitary place, and the crowds seek to keep him with them. He values communion with the Father over local popularity.
Overview
After a busy day of ministry, Jesus seeks solitude, a pattern of withdrawal and prayer Luke highlights repeatedly. The crowds, eager for his healing, try to detain him in Capernaum. Their desire is understandable but reveals a tendency to grasp Jesus for local benefit rather than receive his wider mission, which he gently resists.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 6:12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
- Mark 1:35–38And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
- John 4:34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
- John 6:24When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
- Luke 8:37–38Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
- Luke 24:29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
- Mark 6:33–34And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
- John 4:40So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
- Mark 1:45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
- Matt 14:13–14When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
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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 4:42 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.