Luke 24:37
New International Version
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

New Living Translation
But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

English Standard Version
But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.

Berean Standard Bible
But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.

Berean Literal Bible
But having been terrified, and having been filled with fear, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

King James Bible
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

New King James Version
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

New American Standard Bible
But they were startled and frightened, and thought that they were looking at a spirit.

NASB 1995
But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

NASB 1977
But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

Legacy Standard Bible
But being startled and frightened, they were thinking that they were seeing a spirit.

Amplified Bible
But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

Christian Standard Bible
But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.

American Standard Version
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were alarmed and were in terror, for they thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Contemporary English Version
They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit.

English Revised Version
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They were terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost.

Good News Translation
They were terrified, thinking that they were seeing a ghost.

International Standard Version
They were startled and terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost.

Literal Standard Version
and being amazed, and becoming frightened, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

Majority Standard Bible
But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.

New American Bible
But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

NET Bible
But they were startled and terrified, thinking they saw a ghost.

New Revised Standard Version
They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

New Heart English Bible
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Webster's Bible Translation
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Weymouth New Testament
Startled, and in the utmost alarm, they thought they were looking at a spirit;

World English Bible
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Young's Literal Translation
and being amazed, and becoming affrighted, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 37But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit. 38“Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?…

Cross References
Matthew 14:26
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. "It's a ghost!" they said, and cried out in fear.

Mark 6:49
but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost--

Luke 24:38
"Why are you troubled," Jesus asked, "and why do doubts arise in your hearts?


Treasury of Scripture

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Luke 16:30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

1 Samuel 28:13
And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

Job 4:14-16
Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake…

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Affrighted Alarm Amazed Beheld Confounded Fear Filled Frightened Full Ghost Opinion Spirit Startled Supposed Terrified Themselves Thinking Thought Utmost
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Affrighted Alarm Amazed Beheld Confounded Fear Filled Frightened Full Ghost Opinion Spirit Startled Supposed Terrified Themselves Thinking Thought Utmost
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.














(37) Supposed that they had seen a spirit.--More accurately, supposed that they were looking on . . . For the use of the word "spirit "in this sense, see Acts 23:8-9; Hebrews 12:23.

Verse 37. - But they were terrified and affrighted. They spoke one to another of the Master; they discussed the empty sepulchre, the angelic vision, the recital by Peter of his interview with the Risen, and were listening to the details of the quiet Emmaus meeting, all hoping for something more; but this sudden, mysterious appearance of their crucified Master in their midst was not, after all, what they had looked for. It terrified them. And supposed that they had seen a spirit. How else could they explain his presence in their midst, when the doors were shut? The evangelists make no attempt to explain his sudden appearance. He was simply there as they spoke of him. It is clear that his presence could be accounted for in no ordinary, natural way. His disciples felt that; hence their supposition that they were looking on a spirit. We can, with our present limited knowledge, form no adequate conception of this resurrection-body of the Lord. It was a reality, no phantasm or appearance; of that the scene about to be described gives us ample evidence. Still, it is clear that his resurrection-body was not bound by the present conditions of material existence of which we are conscious. Epiphanius ascribes to the body of the risen Lord λεπτότης πνευματική, "a spiritual subtilty," Euthymius uses similar language when he speaks of "his body being now subtile, thin, and unmixed." He could come into a closed, barred room. He could be visible or invisible, known or unknown, as he pleased and when he pleased.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

they were startled
πτοηθέντες (ptoēthentes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4422: To terrify, scare, strike with panic. Probably akin to the alternate of pipto or to petomai; to scare.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

frightened,
ἔμφοβοι (emphoboi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1719: Full of fear, terrified. From en and phobos; in fear, i.e. Alarmed.

thinking
ἐδόκουν (edokoun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1380: A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.

they had seen
θεωρεῖν (theōrein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2334: From a derivative of theaomai; to be a spectator of, i.e. Discern, (experience) or intensively (acknowledge).

a spirit.
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.


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NT Gospels: Luke 24:37 But they were terrified and filled (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 24:36
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