Luke 4 · Verse 22

Luke 4:22

And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Luke 4:22, King James Version

Luke 4:22 in other translations

BSBAll spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
WEBAll testified about him and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
ASVAnd all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
YLTand all were bearing testimony to him, and were wondering at the gracious words that are coming forth out of his mouth, and they said, ‘Is not this the son of Joseph?'
DARBYAnd all bore witness to him, and wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this the son of Joseph?
BBEAnd they were all giving witness, with wonder, to the words of grace which came from his mouth: and they said, Is not this the son of Joseph?
WebsterAnd all bore him testimony, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

What does Luke 4:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
22. gracious words--"the words of grace," referring both to the richness of His matter and the sweetness of His manner (Psa 45:2). Is not this, &c.--(See on Mt 13:54-56). They knew He had received no rabbinical education, and anything supernatural they seemed incapable of conceiving.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. All bare him witness. All were witnesses of the power and truth of what he said. Their reason and conscience approved of it, and they were constrained to admit the force and propriety of it, and on this account they wondered.

They wondered. They were struck with the truth and force of his words; and especially when they remembered that he was a native of their own place, and that they had been long acquainted with him, and that he should now claim to be the Messiah, and give so much evidence that he was the Christ.

The gracious (r) words. The words of grace or favour; the kind, affectionate, and tender exposition of the words, and explanation of the design of his coming, and the nature of the plan of redemption. It was so different from the harsh and unfeeling mode of the Pharisees; so different from all their expectations respecting the Messiah, who they supposed to be a prince and a bloody conqueror, that they were filled with astonishment and awe.

(r) Ps 45:2, Isa 50:4, Mt 13:54, Mk 6:2, Lk 2:47 (s) "Is not this Joseph's son" Jn 6:42

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 At the gracious words - To the words of grace, επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος, or the doctrines of grace, which he then preached. It is very strange that none of the evangelists give us any account of this sermon! There was certainly more of it than is related in Luk 4:21. To-day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears; which seems to have been no more than the first sentence he spoke on the occasion. Had it been necessary for our salvation, it would have been recorded. It was a demonstration to those Jews, that Jesus, who preached to them, was the person of whom the prophet there spoke: it was not designed for general edification. Let us make a good use of what we have got, and we shalt not regret that this sermon is lost. The ear is never satisfied with hearing: we wish for another and another revelation, while sadly unacquainted with the nature and design of that which God's mercy has already given us.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 4:14-30

Christ taught in their synagogues, their places of public worship, where they met to read, expound, and apply the word, to pray and praise. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit were upon him and on him, without measure. By Christ, sinners may be loosed from the bonds of guilt, and by his Spirit and grace from the bondage of corruption. He came by the word of his gospel, to bring light to those that sat in the…

Read the full comment on Luke 4:14-30 →

Luke 4:22 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
πάντεςpantesallG3956
ἐμαρτύρουνemarturounwere bearing witnessG3140
αὐτῷautōto HimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐθαύμαζονethaumazonthey were marvelingG2296
ἐπὶepiatG1909
τοῖςtoistheG3588
λόγοιςlogoiswordsG3056
τῆςtēsof theG3588
χάριτοςcharitosgraceG5485
τοῖςtoiswhichG3588
ἐκπορευομένοιςekporeuomenoisare proceedingG1607
ἐκekout ofG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
στόματοςstomatosmouthG4750
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔλεγον·elegonthey were saying;G3004
οὐχὶouchisurelyG3780
υἱόςhuios[the] sonG5207
ἐστινestinisG1510
ἸωσὴφIōsēphof JosephG2501
οὗτος;houtosthis?G3778

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

Cross references for Luke 4:22

  • Matthew 13:54-56

    And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

  • Psalms 45:2

    Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

  • John 6:42

    And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

  • Acts 6:10

    And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

  • Mark 6:2-3

    And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:10-11

    The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

  • John 7:46

    The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

  • Proverbs 10:32

    The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

  • Isaiah 50:4

    The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

  • Proverbs 16:21

    The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

  • Proverbs 25:11

    A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

  • Psalms 45:4

    And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the gracious.
2:47; 21:15; Ps 45:2,4; Pr 10:32; 16:21; 25:11; Ec 12:10,11; So 5:16
Isa 50:4; Mt 13:54; Mr 6:2; Joh 7:46; Ac 6:10; Tit 2:8
Is not.
Mt 13:55,56; Mr 6:3; Joh 6:42

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

Context

  • Luke 4:21

    And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

  • Luke 4:22

    And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

  • Luke 4:23

    And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

Read all of Luke 4

Luke 4:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y todos le daban testimonio, y estaban maravillados de las palabras de gracia que salían de su boca, y decían: ¿No es éste el hijo de José?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tous lui rendaient témoignage, et s’étonnaient des paroles de grâce qui sortaient de sa bouche, et ils disaient: Celui-ci n’est-il pas le fils de Joseph?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und alle gaben ihm Zeugnis und verwunderten sich über die Worte der Gnade, die aus seinem Munde hervorgingen; und sie sprachen: Ist dieser nicht der Sohn Josephs?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et omnes testimonium illi dabant: et mirabantur in verbis gratiæ, quæ procedebant de ore ipsius, et dicebant: Nonne hic est filius Joseph?