Luke 9:41

And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

And {G1161} Jesus {G2424} answering {G611} said {G2036}, O {G5599} faithless {G571} and {G2532} perverse {G1294} generation {G1074}, how {G2193} long {G4219} shall I be {G2071} with {G4314} you {G5209}, and {G2532} suffer {G430} you {G5216}? Bring {G4317} thy {G4675} son {G5207} hither {G5602}.

“Perverted people, without any trust!” Yeshua answered, “How long do I have to be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with you? bring hither thy son.

In Luke 9:41, Jesus expresses profound frustration and disappointment with the spiritual state of the people around Him, immediately after His disciples failed to cast out a demon from a young boy. This powerful statement underscores the core issue of unbelief and spiritual dullness.

Context of Luke 9:41

This verse follows a significant event where a father brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus' disciples, who were unable to heal him (Luke 9:40). Jesus had just descended from the Mount of Transfiguration, and upon His arrival, He was met by a large crowd and the distressed father. His sharp rebuke, "O faithless and perverse generation," is directed not only at the general populace but also implicitly at His disciples, whose lack of sufficient faith prevented them from exercising the power He had given them. This scene highlights the stark contrast between human limitation and divine authority.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Pervasiveness of Unbelief: Jesus' lament, "O faithless and perverse generation," points to a widespread spiritual problem. It's a cry of exasperation over the deep-seated skepticism and moral corruption that hindered people from fully embracing His message and power. This lack of faith was a constant source of grief for Jesus during His ministry.
  • Christ's Divine Authority and Power: Despite the disciples' inability, Jesus immediately commands the father to "Bring thy son hither," demonstrating His readiness and unique capacity to perform the healing. This highlights His supreme power over spiritual forces and diseases, which far surpasses human limitations (see Luke 4:36).
  • Jesus' Patience and Frustration: The question, "how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?" reveals the immense burden Jesus carried due to the spiritual blindness and resistance He encountered. It expresses a divine patience that is stretched thin by persistent unbelief, yet it is immediately followed by an act of compassionate healing, showing His enduring love even amidst frustration.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Faithless" (Greek: apistos): This term literally means "unbelieving" or "without faith." It describes a spiritual condition of distrust or lack of conviction in God's power and promises.
  • "Perverse" (Greek: diastrephō): Meaning "twisted," "corrupted," or "turned aside from the right path." It implies a moral and spiritual deviation from what is upright and true, indicating a stubborn resistance to God's will and truth. This spiritual perversity contributed to their inability to receive and act upon divine power.
  • "Suffer you" (Greek: anechomai): This word means "to bear with," "to endure," or "to put up with." It conveys Jesus' long-suffering patience with humanity's spiritual dullness and resistance, even as it causes Him weariness.

Practical Application

Luke 9:41 serves as a profound challenge for believers today. It calls us to examine the depth of our own faith. Are we trusting fully in Christ's power, or do we exhibit a form of "faithlessness" or "perversity" that hinders God's work through us? This verse reminds us that true spiritual power flows from genuine faith in God's ability, not from our own strength or methods. When faced with challenges, we are encouraged to bring them directly to Jesus, trusting in His ultimate authority and compassion, knowing that He has the power to overcome what human efforts cannot (Hebrews 11:6 emphasizes the importance of faith).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 32:5

    They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children: [they are] a perverse and crooked generation.

  • Matthew 17:17

    Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

  • John 14:9

    Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

  • John 20:27

    Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

  • Mark 9:19

    He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

  • Psalms 78:8

    And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation [that] set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

  • Matthew 3:7

    ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back