Bible Strands
Luke 24:11
But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The apostles receive a resurrection report from Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the accompanying women. At this moment, the group processes the women's testimony with immediate skepticism.
The words — The Greek λῆρος (lēros) literally means "folly" or "nonsense," describing how the apostles classified the women's declarations (ῥήματα, rhēmata). The text records their cognitive dismissal before noting their failure to believe.
The thread — This initial rejection of resurrection testimony appears in Mark 16:11, where hearers likewise refuse to believe. The broader biblical pattern of human skepticism meeting divine witness is reflected in Job 9:16 and Genesis 19:14.
Why it lands — The verse presents the factual reality that credible reports often meet immediate rational dismissal. It requires a reader to confront their own tendency to categorize unexpected testimony as irrational before evaluating its truth.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
Cross-references
- Job 9:16 If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.
- Mark 16:11 And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.
- Genesis 19:14 So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
- Psalms 126:1 A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.
- 2 Kings 7:2 But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”
- Luke 24:25 Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
- Acts 12:9 So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.