And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

LUKE 7:17KJV
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Luke 7:17 (KJV)

What does Luke 7:17 mean?

Luke 7:17 describes how news about Jesus spread far beyond the people who witnessed what happened at Nain. The KJV calls the news a “rumour,” meaning a report passed from person to person, rather than necessarily a doubtful story.

The report follows Jesus raising a widow’s son from death. The people present had responded with fear and praise, saying that God had visited his people (verse 16). Luke then traces how word about Jesus moved outward from that gathering.

The Greek behind Luke 7:17

  • “rumour” — λόγος (logos): This word can mean a word, message, or report. Here it describes news about Jesus being passed along, without suggesting that the report was false.
  • “forth” — ἐξέρχομαι (exerchomai): This word carries the sense of going out. Luke uses it to picture the report leaving its starting place and reaching a wider area.

Why Luke 7:17 matters

  • The report concerned Jesus himself, not only the remarkable event. Luke calls it “this rumour of him,” connecting what happened at Nain with the people’s response to Jesus.
  • Luke emphasizes the report’s wide reach. “Throughout all Judaea” and “the region round about” picture news crossing from one locality into many others.
  • The spread of the report helps explain how John the Baptist’s followers could bring him news about Jesus. In the next verse, John’s followers tell him about these events.

Where else these words appear

“about” Greek G4066 · used in 10 verses

  • Matthew 3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
  • Mark 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
  • Luke 4:37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

“Judaea” Greek G2449 · used in 44 verses

  • Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
  • Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;(because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
  • Acts 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

“all” Greek G3650 · used in 99 verses

  • Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
  • Mark 15:16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.
  • Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: