Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus didn't just speak the word; He touched the bier, an act that would have been considered ritually unclean by many. This bold touch wasn't just a physical gesture, but a powerful declaration that life in Him transcends death and ceremonial defilement.
Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is on his way to the town of Nain and encounters a funeral procession leaving the city gates. A large crowd is escorting a widow's only son, who has died, to his burial. Seeing the grieving mother, Jesus is filled with compassion and, before anyone can ask, he approaches the coffin and commands the young man to rise.
Jesus saw a grieving mother and stepped into a funeral procession. But He didn't just offer comfort; He broke social and religious boundaries.
The scene in Luke 7 is emotionally charged. A widow, already burdened by loss, is now facing the death of her only son. Jesus, seeing her intense grief, is 'moved with compassion.' This isn't just pity; it's a deep, gut-level empathy that moves Him to act.
What's remarkable is how He acts. He walks up to the funeral procession, touches the bier (likely an open frame carrying the body), and speaks life. In that culture, touching the dead or anything associated with it would make a person ceremonially unclean, meaning they couldn't participate in worship. But Jesus, with a single touch, prioritizes compassion and life over religious rule-keeping. His divine nature transcends any ritual impurity.
Jesus didn't just ask the young man to wake up; He commanded it. There's incredible power in His words.
When Jesus speaks to the deceased young man, His words are not a hesitant plea but a direct command: 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' This isn't like the tentative prayers of Old Testament prophets who sometimes had to physically interact with the dead multiple times. Jesus speaks with absolute authority, and death itself must obey.
This command echoes God's creative power. Just as God spoke the universe into existence, Jesus speaks life back into a dead body. He knows the young man is dead, yet He addresses him directly, demonstrating that His word carries the divine power to overcome even the finality of death. This is a preview of His power over spiritual death as well.
Understand the original words
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soros · Greek Noun
The wooden frame or platform upon which a corpse was carried to the burial site. Touching it in Jewish law would typically render a person ceremonially unclean, showing Jesus' willingness to override ritual boundaries to bring life.
egeirō · Greek Verb
To be raised from the dead or to stand up from a position of lying down. In the New Testament, it is frequently used to describe both physical resurrection and the spiritual awakening of those dead in sin.
This event occurred during Jesus' active ministry in Galilee, a time marked by public miracles that led many to see him as a prophetic figure sent by God.
c. 27 AD
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus commences his itinerant ministry in Galilee, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples.
c. 28 AD— this verse
Jesus travels to Nain
Jesus is traveling through the region of Galilee, often accompanied by many disciples and crowds.
c. 28 AD
Synagogue worship and funerals
Jewish custom dictated funeral processions, often involving large crowds and music, leaving towns to bury the dead outside the city walls.
c. 28 AD
Public reaction to Jesus
Miracles like the raising of the widow's son caused widespread awe and discussion, with many recognizing Jesus as a great prophet and God's visitation.
This passage highlights Elijah touching a dead child and praying for its life, showing a similar pattern of a prophet intervening in death, but Jesus' direct command contrasts with Elijah's prayer, demonstrating Jesus' superior authority.
2 Kings 4:34Elisha also raised a child from death by praying and lying upon the child, demonstrating a parallel prophetic act of bringing life from death, yet again Jesus' word alone is sufficient.
John 5:25Jesus explicitly states that the dead will hear His voice and live, directly connecting this miracle to His inherent power over death, not just for the physical resurrection but for spiritual awakening as well.
John 11:43Jesus commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb with a similar powerful word, 'Lazarus, come out!', showing that this act in Nain was part of His broader pattern of demonstrating His authority over the grave.
Romans 4:17Paul uses the concept of God 'calling into existence the things that do not exist' when speaking of Abraham's faith, which parallels Jesus 'calling' the dead young man to life, highlighting the power of God's word to create reality.
calvinLuke 7:11-17: "And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people."
- And it happened, when he departed, that he went into a city, which was called Nain, and many of his disciples, and a great multitude, went along with him. 12. And as he was approaching to the gate of the city, there was carried out a dead man, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and a great multitude from the city was with her. 13. A…
jfbLuke 7:11-17: "And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people."
Lu 7:11-17. Widow of Nain's Son Raised to Life. (In Luke only).11. Nain—a small village not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture, and only this once probably visited by our Lord; it lay a little to the south of Mount Tabor, about twelve miles from Capernaum.
Jesus didn't just speak the word; He touched the bier, an act that would have been considered ritually unclean by many. This bold touch wasn't just a physical gesture, but a powerful declaration that life in Him transcends death and ceremonial defilement.
Jesus is on his way to the town of Nain and encounters a funeral procession leaving the city gates. A large crowd is escorting a widow's only son, who has died, to his burial. Seeing the grieving mother, Jesus is filled with compassion and, before anyone can ask, he approaches the coffin and commands the young man to rise.
Jesus is on his way to the town of Nain and encounters a funeral procession leaving the city gates. A large crowd is escorting a widow's only son, who has died, to his burial. Seeing the grieving mother, Jesus is filled with compassion and, before anyone can ask, he approaches the coffin and commands the young man to rise.
"Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother." — Jesus didn't just speak the word; He touched the bier, an act that would have been considered ritually unclean by many. This bold touch wasn't just a physical gesture, but a powerful declaration th…
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Last reviewed October 2026