Bible Strands
Luke 4:34
“Ha! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — A demon-possessed man in a synagogue cries out to Jesus of Nazareth during a public gathering. The speaker identifies himself as a victim of an unclean spirit confronting the approaching Messiah.
The words — The interjection ἔα (ea) translates literally as "Ha!" or "Let be," expressing sudden alarm. The phrase τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί (ti hēmin kai soi) literally asks "What [is] to us and to you?" signaling a demand for boundary between opposing spiritual forces.
The thread — This confrontation appears verbatim in Mark 1:24 as a parallel Gospel account. Matthew 8:29 records a similar demon plea, while James 2:19 notes that demonic acknowledgment of God produces shuddering rather than submission.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to acknowledge that supernatural beings recognize Jesus’ divine identity even when human observers remain uncertain. It demands a clear-eyed assessment of Christ’s authority over spiritual opposition before any personal response is formed.
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
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Cross-references
- Mark 1:24 “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
- Matthew 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
- James 2:19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
- Luke 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
- Acts 3:14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
- Revelation 3:7 To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.
- Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
- Luke 4:41 Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.
- Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
- Psalms 16:10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.