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Luke 8:42
ESV for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.
NIV because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.
NASB for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him.
CSB because he had an only daughter about twelve years old, and she was dying. While he was going, the crowds were nearly crushing him.
NLT His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds.
KJV For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
NKJV for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.

What does Luke 8:42 mean?

Jesus has returned to Galilee where big crowds are often a problem (Luke 8:19; Mark 4:1). He has come to teach (Mark 1:38) but the people want healing. One of these desperate people is a synagogue leader whose daughter is dying.

Modern readers are used to clear, precise, linear timelines. In Matthew, the ruler says, "My daughter has just died" (Matthew 9:18), and in Mark, "My little daughter is at the point of death" (Mark 5:23). While Mark matches Luke well enough, Matthew's account is an example of how Matthew condenses stories, this time combining the two calls for Jesus to come heal Jairus's daughter. More significantly, Luke omits Jairus's declaration of faith. Matthew and Mark follow Jairus's explanation of his daughter's circumstance with "but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live" (Matthew 9:18; cf. Mark 5:23).

The Gospel writers told many of the same stories, but to different audiences and with different purposes. Luke endeavored to write an "orderly account" of Jesus' ministry (Luke 1:3). He doesn't order the stories chronologically but by subject and with a specific intent; Luke's goal is to show Jesus' attention toward outcasts like Gentiles, women, children, and sinners. By including additional details from the story, Luke stresses Jesus' compassion for children—in this case, Jairus's daughter. Matthew, in keeping with revealing Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews, shows how a Jewish leader has great faith in Him.

"Pressed" as used here has a different meaning than "pressing" in Luke 8:45. It has a sense of "choke" or "suffocate," like the thorns in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:14).
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