The Meaning of Luke 9:19 Explained

Luke 9:19

KJV: They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

YLT: And they answering said, 'John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, that a prophet, one of the ancients, was risen;'

Darby: But they answering said, John the baptist; but others, Elias; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.

ASV: And they answering said, John the Baptist; but others'say , Elijah; and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They  answering  said,  John  the Baptist;  but  some  [say], Elias;  and  others  [say], that  one  of the old  prophets  is risen again. 

What does Luke 9:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 9:18-27 - The True Use Of Life
Here and also in Luke 9:28 reference is made to the Master's prayers. He was praying alone, before He broke to His friends the death which awaited Him and in which we may have some share; He was praying, too, when the cloud of glory overshadowed Him. Would it not be well to begin this new day with the resolve to pray more! If the Lord needed it, surely we do, whether for the Cross or the Transfiguration Mount.
Into such prayer, petition and intercession must needs enter. But, ah, what prayer that is, which is neither of these, but the opening of our nature to the inflowing of the divine nature, which is Love, when the soul recognizes its oneness with God and the whole universe!
Our Lord asked these questions that He might lead the Apostles to crystallize their own conceptions in Peter's magnificent affirmation. But they who will follow His footsteps must expect His lot! First, the Cross is set up in our heart, and day by day our old self-nature is crucified there; then we have to endure for others the Cross of rejection, shame and death. But it is thus that we gain ourselves and come into possession of our own souls. If we dare take this path, neither here nor hereafter will Christ be ashamed of us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 9

1  Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach
7  Herod desires to see Jesus
10  The apostles return
12  Jesus feeds five thousand;
18  inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23  proposes to all the pattern of his patience
28  The transfiguration
37  He heals the lunatic;
43  again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46  commends humility;
51  bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge
57  Many would follow him, but upon conditions

Greek Commentary for Luke 9:19

That I am [με ειναι]
Accusative and infinitive in indirect assertion, a common Greek idiom. Matthew 16:13 for “I” has “the Son of man” as identical in the consciousness of Christ. The various opinions of men about Jesus here run parallel to the rumours heard by Herod (Luke 9:8, Luke 9:9). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 9:19 mean?

- And answering they said John the Baptist others also Elijah now that a prophet one of the ancients has arisen
Οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν Ἰωάννην τὸν Βαπτιστήν ἄλλοι δὲ Ἠλίαν δὲ ὅτι προφήτης τις τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀνέστη

Οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀποκριθέντες  answering 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
εἶπαν  they  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἰωάννην  John 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
Βαπτιστήν  Baptist 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: βαπτιστής  
Sense: a baptiser.
ἄλλοι  others 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
δὲ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
Ἠλίαν  Elijah 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἠλίας  
Sense: a prophet born at Thisbe, the unflinching champion of the theocracy in the reigns of the idolatrous kings Ahab and Ahaziah.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
προφήτης  a  prophet 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προφήτης  
Sense: in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things.
τις  one 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀρχαίων  ancients 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρχαῖος  
Sense: that has been from the beginning, original, primal, old ancient.
ἀνέστη  has  arisen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.