Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

LUKE 24:25KJV
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Luke 24:25 (KJV)

What does Luke 24:25 mean?

Luke 24:25 records Jesus speaking to two disciples after His resurrection, calling them "fools" and "slow of heart" because they have not believed all that the prophets said about the Messiah. Jesus is gently rebuking them for not understanding or trusting the Scriptures that foretold His suffering and resurrection.

In this scene, Jesus is walking with two followers on the road to Emmaus, and they do not recognize Him at first. He responds to their confusion and sadness about recent events in Jerusalem by pointing out that the prophets had already spoken about these things. The verse highlights the importance of believing what God has revealed through the Scriptures, even when it is hard to understand.

The Greek behind Luke 24:25

  • "ἀνόητοι" (anoētoi, "fools"): This word means "unthinking" or "without understanding." Jesus is not insulting them, but pointing out their lack of spiritual insight regarding the Scriptures.
  • "βραδεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ" (bradeis tē kardia, "slow of heart"): This phrase describes a slowness or reluctance to believe, not just an intellectual slowness but a hesitation deep within their hearts.
  • "πιστεύειν" (pisteuein, "to believe"): The Greek here emphasizes trust or confidence, not just mental agreement. Jesus is highlighting their lack of trust in what the prophets said.
  • "πάντα ὃσα ἐλάλησαν οἱ προφῆται" (panta hosa elalēsan hoi prophētai, "all that the prophets have spoken"): The word "all" stresses that every part of the prophets' message matters, not just the parts that are easy to accept.

Why Luke 24:25 matters

  • Luke 24:25 shows that Jesus expected His followers to understand His mission by reading and trusting the Scriptures, not just by witnessing events.
  • The verse clarifies that the suffering and resurrection of the Messiah were not surprises, but things God had already revealed through the prophets.
  • This moment sets up the rest of the conversation, where Jesus explains the Scriptures to the disciples, helping them—and later readers—see how the whole Bible points to Him.

Where else these words appear

“slow” Greek G1021 · used in 2 verses

  • James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

“fools” Greek G453 · used in 6 verses

  • Romans 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
  • Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
  • 1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

“O” Greek G5599 · used in 17 verses

  • Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
  • Acts 13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
  • Romans 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

“prophets” Greek G4396 · used in 143 verses

  • Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
  • Luke 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
  • Acts 7:42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?