What Does Luke 24:16 Mean in the King James?
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes nonrecognition a restraint on perception: he is already present, but their eyes are held.
THE MEANING
You can see and still not recognize; presence and recognition are not identical. Here, their eyes are held, so he is near while recognition is withheld.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the assumption that what you cannot recognize is absent: he is present while recognition is restrained.
THE ROOT
ἐκρατοῦντο
ekratounto
GROWS FROM
κρατ-
krat-
To hold fast or restrain; the word family carries the sense of strength or power.
“holden” in this verse is ekratounto. The Greek form is passive: their eyes are being held under restraint. That makes the moment more than a failure to see, recognition is withheld while the person is already before them.
ALSO GROWS
kratos: strength, might, power
κράτος
This carries the force beneath the word for holding: their sight is under restraint.
krataioō: strengthen, make strong
κραταιόω
The same word family can describe strength being made firm; here its force is turned toward holding perception back.
ἐπιγνῶναι
epignōnai from
GROWS FROM
γινώσκω
ginōskō
To know or perceive through encounter; with ἐπί (epi), to recognize or come to know.
“know” in this verse is epignōnai from. The word means recognizing the person before them, not merely possessing information about him. Luke uses this same verb when their eyes open and they recognize him in verse 31.
ALSO GROWS
ginōskō: know, perceive through encounter
γινώσκω
This is the base verb beneath their inability to recognize him.
gnōsis: knowledge, knowing
γνῶσις
The related noun keeps the link between knowing and perception visible.
THE PATTERN
Seeing and recognizing are distinct: recognition can be restrained and later opened.
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.THE THREAD
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.Luke uses the same verb for recognizing in both verses: here their recognition is restrained; there their eyes open and they know him. He is already present in verse 16, the change is in their perception.
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