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.
Parallel translations
- WEB John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow 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 9:38–40And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
- Num 11:27–29And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
- Mark 10:13–14And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
- Acts 5:28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
- Acts 4:18–19And they 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 might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
- Luke 5:5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
- 3 Jn 1:9–10I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
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 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.