They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.
Parallel translations
- WEB They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again.”
- BSB They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that a prophet of old has arisen.”
- NKJV So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
- NASB They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”
- NLT “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
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 disciples report popular opinions: John the Baptist, Elijah, or a risen prophet. People rightly sensed Jesus was sent from God but fell short of the truth.
Overview
These answers reflect genuine respect, placing Jesus among the great prophetic figures of Israel. Yet each falls short, treating Him as merely a forerunner or returned prophet rather than the promised Messiah. Popular admiration, however high, is not the same as saving recognition of who Christ truly is.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Luke 9:7–8Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
- John 1:21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
- Matt 14:2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
- Mark 6:15Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
- Mal 4:5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
- John 1:25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
- John 9:17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
- John 7:40Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
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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 9:19 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.