Authority over Unclean Spirits in Capernaum
Luke 4:31-37
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Luke.4.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- κατηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- Καφαρναουμ: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- διδασκων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- σαββασιν·: NOUN,dat,pl,neut
Parallels
- Mark 1:21 (verbal): Marks a close verbal parallel: Jesus in Capernaum enters the synagogue and teaches on the Sabbath (similar setting and action).
- Mark 1:39 (thematic): Describes Jesus' itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in synagogues throughout Galilee, paralleling Luke's note of teaching in Capernaum on the sabbath.
- Matthew 4:13-16 (thematic): Identifies Capernaum as Jesus' base in Galilee (fulfilling prophecy) and situates his Galilean ministry—background for Luke's reference to Capernaum.
- Matthew 4:23 (thematic): Summarizes Jesus' activity as teaching in synagogues, preaching and healing—echoing Luke's specific note that he was teaching on the sabbath.
- Luke 4:16 (structural): Earlier Luke scene: Jesus teaching in the Nazareth synagogue on the Sabbath; parallels Luke 4:31 structurally by repeating the pattern of sabbath teaching in a synagogue setting.
Alternative generated candidates
- He went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee, and he taught them on the Sabbath.
- He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and he was teaching them on the Sabbath.
Luke.4.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εξεπλησσοντο: VERB,impf,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
- επι: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- διδαχη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λογος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:22 (verbal): Almost identical report—people were amazed at Jesus' teaching because he taught with authority, not like the scribes (close verbal and thematic parallel).
- Matthew 7:28-29 (structural): Summary reaction after a teaching section: crowds are astonished because Jesus teaches 'as one having authority,' contrasting scribal manner—same structural conclusion to a teaching unit.
- Mark 1:27 (thematic): Reaction to Jesus' authority over unclean spirits—'What is this? A new teaching with authority!' Links the authority of his word in teaching to his authority over demons.
- Luke 4:36 (verbal): Immediate pericope continuation in Luke: people marvel and note that he commands unclean spirits with authority and power—directly reinforces verse 32's claim about the power of his word.
- John 7:46 (allusion): Temple officers report, 'Never man spoke like this man'—a different scene but similar astonishment at the distinctive authority and power of Jesus' speech.
Alternative generated candidates
- They were astonished at his teaching, for his word carried authority.
- They were astonished at his teaching, because his words carried authority.
Luke.4.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- συναγωγη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- δαιμονιου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ακαθαρτου: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- ανεκραξεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- μεγαλη·: ADJ,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 1:23-24 (verbal): Parallel exorcism in a synagogue where an unclean spirit cries out and recognizes Jesus; closely parallels Luke 4:33–34 in wording and setting.
- Luke 8:28 (verbal): Gerasene demoniac in Luke also cries out loudly and confronts Jesus, repeating the motif of a possessed man vocally acknowledging Jesus' presence.
- Mark 5:7 (thematic): The Gerasene demoniac addresses Jesus with a loud cry ('What have I to do with thee...?'), echoing the theme of demons vocally confronting Jesus during exorcisms.
- Acts 19:15 (thematic): An instance where a spirit speaks out when the name of Jesus is invoked ('Jesus I know, Paul I know'), reflecting the recurrent motif of spirits vocally reacting to Jesus' authority.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out with a loud voice,
- And in the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean spirit; and he cried out with a loud voice,
Luke.4.34 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Εα: PART
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
- και: CONJ
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- Ιησου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- Ναζαρηνε: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- ηλθες: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- απολεσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- οιδα: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,sg
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,2
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αγιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:24 (verbal): Nearly identical demonic address: the unclean spirit asks, 'What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us?' — same wording and recognition of Jesus as 'Holy' or 'the Christ.'
- Matthew 8:29 (verbal): Gadarene demoniacs use the same challenge, 'What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?'—verbal parallel in demons' recognition and confrontation of Jesus' identity.
- Mark 5:7 (verbal): The Legion-possessed man cries out similarly, 'What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God?' — same rhetorical question and title for Jesus, showing a recurring demonic confession.
- Acts 19:15 (allusion): An evil spirit declares, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?' — different form but the same motif of spirits recognizing Jesus (and invoking his name), underscoring supernatural awareness of Jesus' authority.
- Luke 4:41 (thematic): Later in the same chapter demons openly proclaim Jesus' identity ('Thou art Christ, the Son of God') and he forbids them to speak — thematically linked recognition and the motif of demons confessing who Jesus is.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'Leave us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.'
- "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God."
Luke.4.35 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- επετιμησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- λεγων·Φιμωθητι: PTCP,pres,act,nom,sg,m+VERB,aor,pass,imp,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- εξελθε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- απ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- και: CONJ
- ριψαν: PARTCP,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δαιμονιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- απ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- μηδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- βλαψαν: PARTCP,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:25-26 (verbal): Almost identical wording and sequence: Jesus commands the unclean spirit 'Be silent, and come out of him' and the demon convulses and departs — direct verbal parallel to Luke 4:35.
- Mark 1:34 (thematic): Reports Jesus casting out many demons and not permitting them to speak because they knew him — echoes Luke's motif of demons recognizing Jesus and being silenced.
- Matthew 8:16 (thematic): Jesus 'cast out spirits with a word' (and healed many) — highlights the same theme of Jesus' authoritative command over demons manifested in Luke 4:35.
- Acts 19:13-16 (allusion): The failed invocation of Jesus' name by the sons of Sceva, with demons reacting violently, contrasts and illuminates Luke 4:35: demons recognize divine authority and respond when confronted by true power.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silent, and come out of him.' And the demon, throwing the man down in the midst of them, came out without harming him.
- But Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him." And the unclean spirit, throwing the man down in their midst, came out of him without harming him.
Luke.4.36 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εγενετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- θαμβος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- συνελαλουν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- προς: PREP
- αλληλους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- λεγοντες·Τις: PARTIC,pres,act,nom,pl,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λογος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- εξουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- δυναμει: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- επιτασσει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- ακαθαρτοις: ADJ,dat,pl,n
- πνευμασιν: NOUN,dat,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- εξερχονται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Mark 1:27 (verbal): Synoptic parallel describing the same exorcism scene; the crowd's reaction echoes Luke 4:36—'What is this? A new teaching—with authority!' (Mark uses the same sense of Jesus' authoritative word over unclean spirits.)
- Luke 4:33-35 (structural): Immediate narrative context: the account of the demon speaking and Jesus commanding it to come out, demonstrating the very episode that produces the amazement and comment about authority in v.36.
- Luke 8:25 (thematic): Another scene where the disciples marvel at Jesus' authority—here over nature ('Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?')—paralleling the theme of commanding powers that obey him.
- Matthew 7:29 (verbal): Matthew's summary of popular reaction to Jesus' teaching—'he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes'—uses the same motif of distinctive authority attributed to Jesus' words.
- Acts 10:38 (allusion): Luke's later summary of Jesus' ministry emphasizes he went about 'healing all who were oppressed by the devil' and did so because 'God was with him,' alluding to Jesus' power and authority over demonic forces.
Alternative generated candidates
- All were amazed and they debated among themselves, saying, 'What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.'
- Fear came upon them all, and they discussed among themselves, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."
Luke.4.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εξεπορευετο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- ηχος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- περι: PREP
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- παντα: ADJ,nom,pl,n
- τοπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- περιχωρου: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 1:28 (verbal): Uses nearly identical wording (ὁ λόγος περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐξεπορευετο) — the report about Jesus spread throughout the region.
- Mark 1:45 (verbal): After healing the leper Mark says the man began to spread the news and 'the report about him' went out widely, preventing Jesus from entering towns openly.
- Matthew 4:24 (verbal): Matthew records that 'his fame' (ἡ φήμη αὐτοῦ) went out into all Syria — same motif of renown spreading because of Jesus' healings and teaching.
- Luke 4:14 (structural): Earlier in Luke the narrative similarly reports that Jesus' fame/news spread throughout the surrounding district as he taught and healed in Galilee (parallel moment within Luke's structure).
Alternative generated candidates
- And the report about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.
- And the report about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee; and on the Sabbath he taught the people.
They were astonished at his teaching, for his word carried authority. Now in the synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit; and he cried out with a loud voice,
saying, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, "Be silent! Come out of him." And the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him. And amazement seized them all, and they spoke among themselves, saying, "What sort of word is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news about him spread through all the surrounding region.