What Does Luke 9:43 Mean?
And they were all struck out of place at the greatness of God. But while they wondered, each one, at all the things Jesus did, he said to his disciples,
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,THE KEY
The Greek word behind “mighty power” also names God’s greatness and majesty, visible in what Jesus does.
THE MEANING
God’s greatness comes into view through what Jesus does. The whole crowd is amazed, and Jesus speaks to his disciples while their wonder continues. The verse holds visible action and a direct word together.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Amazement is not the same as grasping the whole message: the crowd is astonished while Jesus is still speaking to his disciples.
THE ROOT
μεγαλειότητι
megaleiotēti
GROWS FROM
μεγαλ
The Greek stem μεγαλ- (megal-) carries the sense of greatness, grandeur, and large scale.
The KJV phrase “mighty power” carries the sense, while the Greek word also names grandeur or majesty. Its μεγαλ- family links God’s greatness with great deeds and magnifying, making that greatness recognizable in what Jesus does.
ALSO GROWS
megaleia: great things, mighty works
μεγαλεῖα
Luke uses this same μεγαλ- family for God’s “wonderful works” in Acts 2:11, connecting greatness with what God does.
megalynō: make great, magnify
μεγαλύνω
This related verb shows the family also describes making greatness known or magnified.
megalosynē: greatness, majesty
μεγαλοσύνη
This related noun makes explicit the majestic shade carried by God’s greatness here.
θαυμαζόντων
thaumazontōn
GROWS FROM
θαυμα
The Greek stem θαυμα- (thauma-) means wonder or marvel; the verb θαυμάζω (thaumazō) expresses responding with wonder.
English makes “amazed” and “wondered” sound like near-repetitions, but Greek uses distinct words: ἐκπλήσσομαι (ekplēssomai, be astonished) and θαυμάζω (thaumazō, wonder). The verse holds being struck with astonishment and continuing to wonder together.
ALSO GROWS
thauma: a wonder, marvel
θαῦμα
The related noun names the marvel that draws a response of wonder.
thaumastos: wondrous, marvelous
θαυμαστός
This related adjective describes what gives rise to wonder.
THE PATTERN
God’s greatness becomes recognizable through deeds that evoke wonder and turn attention back to God.
They speak of the strength of your awe-stirring deeds, and I recount your greatness.And they were all gripped and beside themselves, and they gave weight to God and were filled with awe, saying, We have seen things beyond all weight today.But when the crowds saw it, they were struck with awe and gave weight to God, who had given such authority to humankind.THE THREAD
Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our tongues the great works of God.Acts uses μεγαλεῖα (megaleia, great deeds) from the same μεγαλ- family as μεγαλειότητι (megaleiotēti, greatness or majesty). The shared root connects God’s greatness here with the great works people hear proclaimed there.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us