Bible Reference / Bible Book Studies / Gospel of Luke / Luke 4 / Luke 4:31-37
Quick Summary
After his own hometown tries to throw him off a cliff, Jesus goes down to Capernaum, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee, and teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The people are astonished because his word carries authority. In the middle of the service, a man with an unclean spirit cries out, "I know who you are: the Holy One of God!" Jesus commands the demon to be silent and come out. It throws the man down in front of everyone and leaves without hurting him. The crowd is amazed, and news about Jesus spreads through the whole region.
This is the first miracle Luke narrates in Jesus' public ministry. In Nazareth, Jesus announced that he came to proclaim release to the captives. In Capernaum, he shows what that release looks like.
Scripture Reference
Passage: Luke 4:31-37
Parallel account: Mark 1:21-28
Setting: the synagogue in Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, on the Sabbath
Placement in Luke: directly after Jesus' first sermon and rejection in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30) and before Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-44)
Capernaum: Jesus' Base in Galilee (Luke 4:31)
In the King James Version, Luke 4:31 reads: "And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days." Luke says Jesus "came down," which is geographically exact. Nazareth sits in the hill country, and Capernaum lies about twenty miles away on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, roughly 700 feet below sea level.
The name Capernaum comes from the Hebrew Kefar Nahum, "village of Nahum." Nobody knows for certain which Nahum it honored. Some traditions connect it with the prophet Nahum, but the name was common.
Capernaum was a working town. It sat along a trade route, it had a customs station where a tax collector named Levi would one day leave his booth to follow Jesus (Luke 5:27-32), and a Roman centurion stationed there had even helped build the synagogue (Luke 7:1-10). Population estimates vary widely, commonly from several hundred up to around 1,500 people. It was also home to fishermen, including Simon Peter and his brother Andrew.
After Nazareth rejected him, Capernaum became Jesus' home base for his Galilean ministry. Matthew even calls it "his own city" (Matthew 9:1).
What Archaeologists Have Found at Capernaum
Visitors to Capernaum today see the ruins of a white limestone synagogue from the late Roman or early Byzantine period. Beneath it, excavators found walls of dark local basalt that many scholars believe belong to an earlier synagogue, possibly the one where this scene took place. A short walk away, archaeologists uncovered a first-century house that early Christians turned into a gathering place and later enclosed in an octagonal church. Many identify it as the house of Peter, where Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law in the very next scene.
Astonished at His Authority (Luke 4:32)
In the KJV, Luke 4:32 reads: "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power."
The Greek word behind "power" here is exousia, which means authority, the right to command. Jewish teachers of the day usually taught by citing earlier rabbis and traditions. Jesus taught on his own authority. Mark's version adds that he taught "not as the scribes" (Mark 1:22).
Jesus wasn't only interpreting the Scriptures. He was embodying them. The people were encountering the living Word, speaking with the authority of the Creator. Luke wants us to notice the connection between Jesus' word and Jesus' power, because in the next few verses, a single command from his mouth will set a man free.
The Demon Cries Out (Luke 4:33-34)
In the middle of this amazement, the service is interrupted. In the KJV, Luke 4:33-34 reads: "And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 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."
Several details in these words matter.
"An unclean spirit" in a holy place. Luke uses a phrase found nowhere else in the New Testament: "a spirit of an unclean demon." The contrast is sharp. An unclean spirit sits in the synagogue, the place set apart for God's word, on the Sabbath, the day set apart for God. Evil was hiding in the middle of worship.
"Let us alone." The Greek word ea is an exclamation, and many modern translations render it "Ha!" or "Ah!" It is a cry of alarm.
"What have we to do with thee?" This is a Hebrew idiom meaning "What do you and I have in common?" or "Why are you interfering with us?" The same expression appears in 1 Kings 17:18, when the widow of Zarephath confronts Elijah. Luke's readers had just heard Jesus mention that very widow in Nazareth (4:26).
"Us." The demon speaks in the plural. It seems to speak for the whole realm of evil spirits, and it knows the arrival of Jesus is bad news for all of them.
"Art thou come to destroy us?" The demon understands Jesus' mission better than the people of Nazareth did. The kingdom of God has arrived, and the powers of darkness are on notice.
"The Holy One of God"
The demon calls Jesus "the Holy One of God." This is one of the first public recognitions of Jesus' identity in Luke, and it comes from the spiritual realm rather than from a human being. The title means one set apart by God and belonging to God. Isaiah repeatedly calls God "the Holy One of Israel," and here the title is applied to Jesus.
The only other time this exact title appears in the Gospels is on the lips of Peter, when many followers abandon Jesus and Peter confesses, "Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (John 6:69, KJV), which the earliest manuscripts render "the Holy One of God" (John 6:60-71). The demon knows who Jesus is long before the disciples do.
Why would a demon announce Jesus' identity? In the ancient world, many believed that knowing and speaking someone's true name gave you a kind of power over them. The demon's outburst may be an attempt to gain control of the encounter. If so, it fails completely.
Jesus Rebukes the Demon (Luke 4:35)
In the KJV, Luke 4:35 reads: "And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not."
Jesus uses no ritual, no incantation, no special objects, and no appeal to any other name. He speaks two short commands, and the demon obeys.
"Rebuked." The Greek verb is epitimaō. Luke uses this same word three verses later when Jesus "rebuked the fever" afflicting Peter's mother-in-law (4:39), and again when he rebukes the wind and waves on the lake (Luke 8:22-25). For Luke, demons, disease, and destructive chaos are all hostile powers, and Jesus has authority over every one of them.
"Hold thy peace." The Greek word phimōthēti literally means "be muzzled." Jesus will not let the demon set the terms of his identity. He decides when and how the truth about him is proclaimed, a pattern that continues when he silences more demons at sunset (4:41).
"Hurt him not." The demon makes one last violent display, throwing the man down in front of the crowd, but he walks away unharmed. Only Luke includes this detail. Readers often notice that the author whom early tradition identifies as Luke the physician cares about whether the man was physically hurt. Jesus' power heals the person it frees. He has no interest in spectacle; his aim is healing and freedom.
"What a Word Is This!" (Luke 4:36-37)
In the KJV, Luke 4:36 reads: "And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out."
The crowd pairs two words that Luke uses together on purpose: authority (exousia) and power (dynamis). Authority is the right to command. Power is the ability to carry it out. Jesus has both. Later, Jesus will share this same "power and authority" with the Twelve when he sends them out (Luke 9:1-6).
Notice what amazes the people most: Jesus' word. The crowd in verse 32 was astonished at his teaching; now they see that the same word that teaches also sets people free.
Luke 4:37 closes the scene: "And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about" (KJV). Jesus' fame spreads, but Luke is careful to show that the news centers on the kingdom he announces and the healing he brings.
Jesus Fulfills His Promise
Read Luke 4:31-37 next to Luke 4:14-30 and the connection is hard to miss. In Nazareth, Jesus read from Isaiah that he was anointed "to preach deliverance to the captives" and "to set at liberty them that are bruised." The people there refused him. In Capernaum, the very next scene, Jesus sets a captive free.
The sermon became a deed. Luke wants readers to see that Jesus' words in Nazareth described what he would actually do.
Miracles Jesus Performed in Capernaum
Capernaum saw more of Jesus' miracles than almost any other town. In Luke alone:
The man with an unclean spirit (Luke 4:31-37), this passage.
Peter's mother-in-law healed of a fever (Luke 4:38-39).
Many sick and demon-possessed healed at sunset (Luke 4:40-41).
The paralyzed man lowered through the roof (Luke 5:17-26), which Mark places in Capernaum (Mark 2:1).
The centurion's servant (Luke 7:1-10).
For the full list across the Gospel, see the 18 miracles in the Gospel of Luke.
Even so, Capernaum's story has a sad ending. Despite all it witnessed, Jesus later warns that it will be "thrust down to hell" for its unbelief (Luke 10:13-20). Amazement is not the same as faith.
Every Time Jesus Casts Out Demons in Luke
The scene in Capernaum is the first of many times Jesus confronts evil spirits in Luke's Gospel:
Many demons at sunset in Capernaum (Luke 4:41), who cry out "Thou art Christ the Son of God" before Jesus silences them.
Mary Magdalene, "out of whom went seven devils," who then follows and supports Jesus (Luke 8:1-3; see also Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John).
The Gerasene man possessed by Legion, whose demons enter a herd of pigs (Luke 8:26-39).
A boy with a demon whom the disciples could not help (Luke 9:37-43).
The seventy return rejoicing that the demons submit to them, and Jesus says he saw Satan fall like lightning (Luke 10:13-20).
A mute man, which leads to the Beelzebul controversy (Luke 11:14-23) and Jesus' warning about the unclean spirit that returns (Luke 11:24-28).
A woman bent over for eighteen years by "a spirit of infirmity," healed on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17).
The pattern continues in Luke's second volume. In Acts, Paul casts a spirit out of a slave girl in Philippi (Acts 16:16-24), and in Ephesus, the seven sons of Sceva learn the hard way that the name of Jesus is not a magic formula (Acts 19:11-22).
Translation Comparison: Luke 4:31-37
Luke 4:32. The KJV says "his word was with power"; the ESV says "his word possessed authority"; the NRSV and NLT say "he spoke with authority." The Greek exousia means authority, the right to command, so most modern translations prefer "authority."
Luke 4:33. The KJV says "a spirit of an unclean devil"; the NRSV and ESV say "the spirit of an unclean demon"; the NLT says "a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit." The KJV regularly uses "devil" where the Greek has daimonion (demon), a different word from diabolos (the devil) in Luke 4:1-13.
Luke 4:34. The KJV begins "Let us alone"; the ESV begins "Ha!"; the NRSV begins "Let us alone!"; the NLT says "Go away!" The Greek ea is an exclamation of alarm, which is hard to translate with a single English word.
Luke 4:35. The KJV says "Hold thy peace"; the NRSV and ESV say "Be silent." The Greek phimōthēti literally means "be muzzled."
Luke 4:31-37 Meaning for Today
This passage shows a powerful moment where Jesus' authority is made clear. He speaks with authority, commands evil with authority, and heals with authority. Capernaum reveals the kingdom of God breaking into the world.
Notice where the demon was: in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, in the middle of worship. Evil is not always found in obvious places. Sometimes it hides in respectable spaces, even among religious people, until the presence of Jesus brings it to the surface. The powers of darkness are real, but they are no match for the power of God. Evil is an enemy to be confronted, and Jesus comes as the One with the authority to defeat it. For more on how the New Testament describes this struggle, see spiritual warfare in Ephesians and Bible verses about spiritual warfare.
This passage also invites us to consider how we respond to Jesus' authority. The people of Capernaum were amazed, but for many of them, the amazement didn't last. Are we simply impressed by Jesus from a distance, or are we allowing his authority to challenge and change us? The invitation today is to recognize Jesus' authority over all things, over evil, over sickness, and over sin, and to surrender to it.
The kingdom of God is still breaking into our world, and Jesus still holds the power to heal, deliver, and redeem. As we see his authority in this passage, we are called to trust him more fully and to live as agents of his kingdom in the world.
FAQ: Jesus Casts Out a Demon in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-37)
What happened in Luke 4:31-37? Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath. A man with an unclean spirit cried out that Jesus was the Holy One of God. Jesus commanded the demon to be silent and come out, and it left the man without harming him. The crowd was amazed at Jesus' authority.
What does "the Holy One of God" mean? It means the one set apart by God and belonging to God. The demon recognized Jesus' true identity and holiness. The same title appears in John 6:69 in the earliest manuscripts, when Peter confesses his faith.
Why did Jesus tell the demon to be silent? Jesus would not let a demon announce his identity or control the encounter. Many in the ancient world believed that naming someone gave power over them, and the demon's outburst may have been an attempt to do just that. Jesus chose when and how the truth about him would be proclaimed.
What does Luke 4:35 mean? Luke 4:35 describes Jesus rebuking the demon with two commands: be silent and come out. The demon threw the man down but left without hurting him, showing that Jesus' authority over evil is complete and that his power heals rather than harms.
What is Capernaum known for in the Bible? Capernaum was Jesus' home base during his Galilean ministry. It was the home of Peter and Andrew, the place where Levi the tax collector was called, and the site of many miracles, including this exorcism, the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, and the healing of the centurion's servant.
Where is Capernaum today? Capernaum lies on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in modern Israel. Visitors can see the ruins of a later limestone synagogue built over earlier foundations and the remains of a house many identify as Peter's home.
How many times does Jesus cast out demons in the Gospel of Luke? Luke records several specific exorcisms, including the man in Capernaum, the Gerasene man possessed by Legion, a boy the disciples could not help, and a mute man, as well as summaries of Jesus casting out many demons and the mention of seven demons leaving Mary Magdalene.
Works Consulted
Darrell L. Bock, Luke (NIV Application Commentary)
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (New International Commentary on the New Testament)
John Nolland, Luke 1-9:20 (Word Biblical Commentary)
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke I-IX (Anchor Bible)
