Luke 24:16
New International Version
but they were kept from recognizing him.

New Living Translation
But God kept them from recognizing him.

English Standard Version
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Berean Standard Bible
But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.

Berean Literal Bible
But their eyes were held not to know Him.

King James Bible
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

New King James Version
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

New American Standard Bible
But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.

NASB 1995
But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

NASB 1977
But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

Amplified Bible
But their eyes were [miraculously] prevented from recognizing Him.

Christian Standard Bible
But they were prevented from recognizing him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they were prevented from recognizing Him.

American Standard Version
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Contemporary English Version
But they did not know who he was.

English Revised Version
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Although they saw him, they didn't recognize him.

Good News Translation
they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him.

International Standard Version
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

Majority Standard Bible
But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.

NET Bible
(but their eyes were kept from recognizing him).

New Heart English Bible
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Webster's Bible Translation
But their eyes were held, that they should not know him.

Weymouth New Testament
though they were prevented from recognizing Him.

World English Bible
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and their eyes were restrained so as not to know Him,

Berean Literal Bible
But their eyes were held not to know Him.

Young's Literal Translation
and their eyes were holden so as not to know him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And their eyes were holden not to know him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But their eyes were held, that they should not know him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But their eyes were restrained, so that they would not recognize him.

New American Bible
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

New Revised Standard Version
but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But the sight of their eyes was holden, so that they could not recognize him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And their eyes had been held shut lest they would recognize him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not recognize him.

Godbey New Testament
and their eyes were held so as not to recognize Him.

Haweis New Testament
But their eyes were under a restraint, that they might not discover him.

Mace New Testament
but their eyes were affected so as not to discern who he was.

Weymouth New Testament
though they were prevented from recognizing Him.

Worrell New Testament
but their eyes were holden that they should not recognize Him.

Worsley New Testament
But their eyes were so restrained that they did not know Him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Road to Emmaus
15And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. 17He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces.…

Cross References
John 20:14-16
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus. / “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” / Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Mark 16:12
After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country.

Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

2 Corinthians 3:14-16
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. / And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. / But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

John 21:4
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

John 12:40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”

Romans 11:7-8
What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, / as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

Genesis 21:19
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

2 Kings 6:17-20
Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. / As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. / And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria. ...

John 8:43
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.

Acts 13:27
The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

John 10:26
But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.


Treasury of Scripture

But their eyes were held that they should not know him.

Luke 24:31
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

2 Kings 6:18-20
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha…

Mark 16:12
After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

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Eyes Held Holden Kept Open Prevented Recognizing
Luke 24
1. Jesus' resurrection is declared by two angels to the women who come to the tomb.
9. They report it to others.
13. Jesus himself appears to the two disciples that went to Emmaus;
36. afterwards he appears to the apostles, and reproves their unbelief;
47. gives them a charge;
49. promises the Holy Spirit;
50. and so ascends into heaven.














But
The conjunction "but" introduces a contrast or exception. In this context, it signifies a shift from the expectation that the disciples would recognize Jesus to the reality that they did not. This word sets the stage for the unfolding mystery and divine purpose in the narrative. It suggests that what follows is not due to human failure but rather a divine orchestration.

their eyes
The phrase "their eyes" refers to the physical and spiritual perception of the disciples. In biblical literature, eyes often symbolize understanding and insight. The Greek word for eyes, "ophthalmos," can imply both literal sight and metaphorical insight. Here, it suggests that the disciples' ability to perceive Jesus was hindered, indicating a deeper spiritual lesson about recognizing Christ beyond physical appearances.

were kept
The passive construction "were kept" implies an external influence or divine intervention. The Greek verb "krateo" means to hold or restrain. This suggests that God actively prevented the disciples from recognizing Jesus, highlighting the sovereignty of God in revealing or concealing truth according to His purpose and timing.

from recognizing
The phrase "from recognizing" involves the Greek word "epiginosko," which means to know fully or to recognize. This term implies a deeper, more intimate knowledge than mere visual identification. The disciples' inability to recognize Jesus points to a spiritual blindness that required divine revelation to overcome. It underscores the theme that true recognition of Christ comes through spiritual insight granted by God.

Him
The pronoun "Him" refers to Jesus Christ, the central figure of the Christian faith. In this passage, Jesus is the resurrected Lord, whose identity is temporarily concealed from His followers. This concealment serves a greater purpose in the narrative, allowing Jesus to reveal Himself in a profound way that deepens the disciples' understanding of His mission and the fulfillment of Scripture.

Verse 16. - But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. So Mary Magdalene looked on and failed to recognize at first the Person of her adored Master (John 20:15). So by the lake-shore, as he stood and spoke to the tired fishermen, they who had been so long with him knew him not. Some mysterious change had been wrought in the Person of the Lord. Between the Resurrection and the Ascension, men and women now looked on him without a gleam of recognition, now gazed on him knowing well that it was the Lord. "It is vain," writes Dr. Westcott, "to give any simply natural explanation of the failure of the disciples to recognize Christ. After the Resurrection he was known as he pleased, and not necessarily at once Till they who gazed on him were placed in something of spiritual harmony with the Lord, they could not recognize him." The two on their walk to Emmaus, and Mary Magdalene in the garden, were preoccupied with their sorrow. The fisher-disciples on the lake were preoccupied with their work, so that the vision of the Divine was obscured. The risen Christ will surely fulfil his own words, "The pure in heart, they shall see God" but only the pure in heart.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

eyes
ὀφθαλμοὶ (ophthalmoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3788: The eye; fig: the mind's eye. From optanomai; the eye; by implication, vision; figuratively, envy.

were kept
ἐκρατοῦντο (ekratounto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2902: From kratos; to use strength, i.e. Seize or retain.

from recognizing
ἐπιγνῶναι (epignōnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1921: From epi and ginosko; to know upon some mark, i.e. Recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge.

Him.
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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