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Luke 24:17
ESV And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.
NIV He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.
NASB And He said to them, 'What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?' And they came to a stop, looking sad.
CSB Then he asked them, "What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?" And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.
NLT He asked them, 'What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?' They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.
KJV And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad
NKJV And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

What does Luke 24:17 mean?

Jesus has come across two of the larger group of His disciples who are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, another town in Judea. They're talking about Him: how they believed He was the Messiah, but then the Jewish leaders had Him crucified. That morning, the women disciples said His tomb was empty and angels told them He had risen from the dead. Jesus approaches, but His identity is hidden from the disciples (Luke 24:13–24).

In this encounter, Jesus uses a common teaching method: He asks a question to which He already knows the answer. The first time God used this tactic was after Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit. They had hidden from Him, both behind a rough attempt at clothing and behind the bushes or hills of the garden of Eden. "Where are you?" God asked. He allowed them to tell Him their story, to reveal to themselves what they thought was going on, so He could explain the truth (Genesis 3).

Jesus used this earlier in His ministry. While walking through a dense crowd, He stopped and said, "Who was it that touched me?" (Luke 8:45). By doing so, He stopped the crowd and redirected their attention to the poor woman who had grasped the edge of His cloak, knowing it would heal her. The crowd learned not only of the healing, but that this woman was finally clean thanks to her faith (Luke 8:43–48).

In the same way, Jesus asks Cleopas and his friend what they are talking about, knowing full well they are talking about Him. By allowing them to speak, Jesus is giving them the chance to organize their thoughts and direct their attention to Jesus' chosen topic. When they are finished, He reframes and fills the gaps in their understanding. They know what happened, but they have completely neglected to compare what has happened to what they know in the writings of Moses and the Prophets. Once they can do that, everything will make sense (Luke 24:18–27).
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