And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

And it came to pass, as he was praying apart, the disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Who do the multitudes say that I am?

And it came to pass as he was praying alone, his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, Who do the crowds say that I am?

And it came to pass, as he was in retirement praying, his disciples were with him; and he asked them, saying, Who say the people that I am?

And it came to pass, as he is praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, 'Who do the multitudes say me to be?'

One day when He was praying by Himself the disciples were present; and He asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"

And it came about that when he was in prayer, by himself, and the disciples were with him, he put a question to them, saying, Who do the people say I am?

And it happened that, when he was praying alone, his disciples also were with him, and he questioned them, saying: "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"

Afterward, when Jesus was alone, praying, his disciples joined him, and he asked them this question – "Who do the people say that I am?"

See the Matthew 16:13-27 notes; Mark 8:27-38 notes.

Whom say the people - Οἱ οχλοι, the common people, i.e. the mass of the people. See this question considered on Matthew 16:13 (note), etc.

(4) And it came to pass, as he was (f) alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
(4) Although the world be tossed up and down between different errors, yet we ought not to condemn the truth but be all the more desirous to know it, and be more steadfast to confess it.
(f) Alone from the people.

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying,.... To his God and Father, for himself as man, and mediator; for the success of his Gospel, and the increase of his interest; and for his disciples, that they might have a clearer revelation of him; and which they had, as appears in their after confession of him by Peter, as the mouth of them all. The place where he now retired for private devotion, was somewhere in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi; for he was now gone from the desert of Bethsaida, as appears from Matthew 16:13 and when he is said to be alone, the meaning is, that he was retired from the multitude, but not from his disciples; for it follows,
his disciples were with him, in this solitary place:
and he asked them, being with them alone;
saying, Whom say the people that I am? what are the sentiments of the common people, or of the people in general concerning me? The Alexandrian copy, and the Arabic version read, "men", as in Matthew 16:13. See Gill on Matthew 16:13.

It is an unspeakable comfort that our Lord Jesus is God's Anointed; this signifies that he was both appointed to be the Messiah, and qualified for it. Jesus discourses concerning his own sufferings and death. And so far must his disciples be from thinking how to prevent his sufferings, that they must prepare for their own. We often meet with crosses in the way of duty; and though we must not pull them upon our own heads, yet, when they are laid for us, we must take them up, and carry them after Christ. It is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our souls. The body cannot be happy, if the soul be miserable in the other world; but the soul may be happy, though the body is greatly afflicted and oppressed in this world. We must never be ashamed of Christ and his gospel.

Whom say the people that I am? See notes on Peter's confession of faith, Matthew 16:13-20; also Mark 8:27-30. Luke only informs us that he was alone praying, his disciples being present, when he asked the question.

Apart - From the multitude. And he asked them - When he had done praying, during which they probably stayed at a distance. Matthew 14:13; Mark 8:27.