Luke 10 · Verse 18

Luke 10:18

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luke 10:18, King James Version

Luke 10:18 in other translations

BSBSo He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
WEBHe said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
ASVAnd he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven.
YLTand he said to them, ‘I was beholding the Adversary, as lightning from the heaven having fallen;
DARBYAnd he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning falling out of heaven.
BBEAnd he said, I was watching for Satan, falling from heaven like a star.
WebsterAnd he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

What does Luke 10:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. I beheld--As much of the force of this glorious statement depends on the nice shade of sense indicated by the imperfect tense in the original, it should be brought out in the translation: "I was beholding Satan as lightning falling from heaven"; that is, "I followed you on your mission, and watched its triumphs; while you were wondering at the subjection to you of devils in My name, a grander spectacle was opening to My view; sudden as the darting of lightning from heaven to earth, lo! Satan was beheld falling from heaven!" How remarkable is this, that by that law of association which connects a part with the whole, those feeble triumphs of the Seventy seem to have not only brought vividly before the Redeemer the whole ultimate result of His mission, but compressed it into a moment and quickened it into the rapidity of lightning! Note.--The word rendered "devils," is always used for those spiritual agents employed in demoniacal possessions--never for the ordinary agency of Satan in rational men. When therefore the Seventy say, "the devils [demons] are subject to us," and Jesus replies, "Mine eye was beholding Satan falling," it is plain that He meant to raise their minds not only from the particular to the general, but from a very temporary form of satanic operation to the entire kingdom of evil. (See Joh 12:31; and compare Is 14:12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. I beheld Satan, &c. Satan here denotes evidently the prince of the devils who had been cast out by the seventy disciples, for the discourse was respecting their power over evil spirits. Lightening is an image of rapidity or quickness. I saw Satan fall quickly or rapidly--as quick as lightning. The phrase "from heaven" is to be referred to the lightning, and does not mean that he saw Satan fall from heaven, but that he fell as quick as lightning from heaven or from the clouds. The whole expression then may mean,
"I saw at your command devils immediately depart, as
quick as the flash of lightning. I gave you this power--
I saw it put forth--and I give also now, in addition
to this, the power to tread on serpents," &c.
(u) "Satan as lightning" Rev 12:8,9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 I beheld Satan - Or, Satan himself, τον Σαταναν, the very Satan, the supreme adversary, falling as lightning, with the utmost suddenness, as a flash of lightning falls from the clouds, and at the same time in the most observable manner. The fall was both very sudden and very apparent. Thus should the fall of the corrupt Jewish state be, and thus was the fall of idolatry in the Gentile world.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 10:17-24

All our victories over Satan, are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise. But let us beware of spiritual pride, which has been the destruction of many. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of the salvation of many souls. It was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour of joy; there were few such, for He was a man of sorrows: in that hour in which he saw Satan fall…

Read the full comment on Luke 10:17-24 →

Luke 10:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
δὲdethenG1161
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
ἐθεώρουνetheōrounI was beholdingG2334
τὸνton<the>G3588
σατανᾶνsatananSatanG4567
ὡςhōsasG5613
ἀστραπὴνastrapēnlightningG796
ἐκekout ofG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
οὐρανοῦouranouheavenG3772
πεσόντα.pesontahaving fallen.G4098

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 10:18

  • Revelation 12:7-9

    And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

  • Isaiah 14:12

    How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

  • Revelation 9:1

    And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

  • John 16:11

    Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

  • John 12:31

    Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

  • 1 John 3:8

    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

  • Hebrews 2:14

    Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

  • Matthew 4:10

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • Revelation 20:2

    And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I beheld Satan.
Joh 12:31; 16:11; Heb 2:14; 1Jo 3:8; Re 9:1; 12:7-9; 20:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 10:17

    And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

  • Luke 10:18

    And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

  • Luke 10:19

    Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Read all of Luke 10

Luke 10:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y les dijo: Yo veía á Satanás, como un rayo, que caía del cielo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur dit: Je voyais Satan tombant du ciel comme un éclair.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sprach aber zu ihnen: Ich schaute den Satan wie einen Blitz vom Himmel fallen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait illis: Videbam Satanam sicut fulgor de cælo cadentem.