that they were seeing a ghost

The Greek in Luke 24:37 that is translated as “that they were seeing a ghost” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with ein Gespenst, das Jesu Gestalt nachäffte or “a ghost that mimicked (verbatim: “copied like a monkey”) the figure of Jesus.”

Come and see that he is alive (image)

“Jesus allows himself to be touched by all. This picture shows a selection of all types of people from various regions and even a foreigner.”

Drawing by Sawai Chinnawong who employs northern and central Thailand’s popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes; explanation by Paul DeNeui. From That Man Who Came to Save Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul H. DeNeui, William Carey Library, 2010.

For more images by Sawai Chinnawong in TIPs see here.

See also Thomas with the risen Christ (image).

complete verse (Luke 24:37)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 24:37:

  • Noongar: “They were very terrified, thinking they were seeing a ghost.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “They were terrified, because they thought they were seeing a ghost.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They were startled and afraid for they thought-mistakenly that they were seeing a ghost.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they were very much afraid because they thought it was just the soul of Jesus that appeared to them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But they were startled and their fear was excessive, because they thought it was a ghost they were seeing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But their insides quaked (lit. livers turned over) anyway and they were scared, for they thought-mistakenly that what they were seeing was the spirit of someone who had died.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Sung version of Luke 24

Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).

For more information, see here .

Translation commentary on Luke 24:37

Exegesis:

ptoēthentes de kai emphoboi genomenoi ‘startled and terrified.’ For ptoeomai cf. on 21.9, for emphobos cf. on v. 5. There is little difference between the two and they serve to reinforce one another.

edokoun pneuma theōrein ‘they thought that they were looking at a ghost.’ For dokeō cf. on 8.18. pneuma (in this meaning †) means here ‘ghost,’ i.e. a bodyless being yet perceptible to the eye.

Translation:

Startled and frightened, or, “full of fear and terror” (Good News Translation), ‘very much frightened.’ For terms rendering the concept ‘fear’ see on 1.12.

Supposed, see on 2.44.

Spirit, or, ‘ghost,’ in the sense of that portion of the personality which leaves the body at death and is believed to appear to the living in bodily likeness.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.