Luke 24:31

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrator describes two disciples at the Emmaus table immediately after Jesus breaks and gives bread. The moment captures the instant they recognize Him followed by His sudden departure.

The words — διηνοίχθησαν (diēnoichthēsan) translates literally as "were opened," describing the change in their perception. ἐπέγνωσαν (epegnōsan) means "they knew" or "they recognized," indicating the immediate result of that opening.

The thread — This sequence of sight and recognition runs backward to Luke 24:16, where their eyes were kept from recognizing Him, and parallels Jesus’ pattern of hidden movement in Luke 4:30 and John 8:59.

Why it lands — The text states their eyes opened and they recognized Him before He vanished. This requires a reader to accept that recognition of the risen Lord depends on divine action, not human effort.

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

αὐτῶνautōnOf them δὲdethen διηνοίχθησανdiēnoichthēsanwere opened οἱhoithe ὀφθαλμοὶophthalmoieyes καὶkaiand ἐπέγνωσανepegnōsanthey knew αὐτόν·autonHim;καὶkaiAnd αὐτὸςautosHe himself ἄφαντοςaphantosvanished ἐγένετοegenetobeing seen ἀπ᾽ap᾽from αὐτῶν.autōnthem.

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Luke 24:16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
John 8:59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.
Luke 4:30 But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way.
John 20:13 “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.”