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John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”
Luke 9:49 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
  • BSB “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”
  • NKJV Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
  • NASB John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.”
  • NLT John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”

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

John reports they stopped a man casting out demons in Jesus' name because he was not one of their group. The disciples wrongly equate following Jesus with belonging to their circle.

Overview

John's words reveal a narrow, exclusive spirit that ties legitimate ministry to their own company. The man was acting in Jesus' name, yet they forbade him. This sets up Jesus' correction of a sectarian attitude that would limit the work of His kingdom to their own ranks.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Mark 9:38–40John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
  • Num 11:27–29A young man ran, and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”
  • Mark 10:13–14They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
  • Acts 5:28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
  • Acts 4:18–19They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
  • 1 Th 2:16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
  • Luke 5:5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
  • 3 Jn 1:9–10I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 9:49YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 9:49 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.