Luke 21:14
in Luke 21So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer:
KJV
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
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This verse in Luke 21
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
CyprianTreatise XI. Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus. · Written before 258.
That injuries and penalties of persecutions are not to be feared by us, because greater is the Lord to protect than the devil to assault. John, in his epistle, proves this, saying: "Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world." Also in the cxviith Psalm: "I will not fear what man can do unto me; the Lord is my helper." And again: "These in chariots, and those in horses; bat we will glory in the name of the Lord our God.
This site's exposition
But before all this
on Luke 21:12-15
Before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, as Acts records of Peter and John and of Paul before Felix, Festus and Agrippa. Jesus promises speech and wisdom none can resist, as Stephen found at Acts 6:10.
This site's exposition
make up your mind not to worry beforehand
The command rests on the promise of verse 15. Matthew Henry says that witnesses given a mouth by Christ leave their adversaries silenced and confused. Cyprian, writing to strengthen those facing martyrdom, held that the Lord is greater to protect than the devil to assault.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
There are also other wars which the Christian wages, the struggles of different lusts, and the conflicts of the will; and domestic foes are far more dangerous than foreign.
Jesus gives them clear and evident signs of the time when the consummation of the world draws near. He says that there will be wars, turmoil, famines and epidemics everywhere. There will be terrors from heaven and great signs. As another Evangelist says, "All the stars shall fall, and the heaven be rolled up like a scroll, and its powers will be shaken."In the middle of this, the Savior places what refers to the capture of Jerusalem. He mixes the accounts together in both parts of the narrative. Before all these things, he says, "They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and to prisons and bringing you before kings and rulers for my name's sake. This will be a witness to you." Before the times of consummation, the land of the Jews was taken captive, and the Roman armies overran it. They burned the temple, overthrew their national government, and stopped the means for legal worship. They no longer had sacrifices, now that the temple was destroyed. The country of the Jews together with Jerusalem itself was totally laid waste. Before these things happened, they persecuted the blessed disciples. They imprisoned them and had a part in unendurable trials. They brought the disciples before judges and sent them to kings. Paul was sent to Rome to Caesar.… Christ promises, however, that he will deliver them certainly and completely. He says that a hair of your head will not perish.
For that it is His doing that we conquer, and that we attain by the subduing of the adversary to the palm of the greatest contest, the Lord declares and teaches in His Gospel, saying, "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." And again: "Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer; for I will give you a month and wisdom, which your adversaries shall not be able to resist." In which, indeed, is both the great confidence of believers, and the gravest fault of the faithless, that they do not trust Him who promises to give His help to those who confess Him, and do not on the other hand fear Him who threatens eternal punishment to those who deny Him.
The Medieval Church2 voices
For because they were foolish and inexperienced, the Lord tells them this, that they might not be confounded when about to give account to the wise.
Third, as to the victory of those who are afflicted, he adds: Settle it therefore in your hearts not to premeditate how you shall respond, by your own inquiry, because, 2 Corinthians 3, "not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves as from …
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
(Hom. 35. in Evang.) Or, for a testimony, that is, against those who by persecuting you bring death upon themselves, or living do not imitate you, or themselves becoming hardened perish without excuse, from whom the elect take example that they may live. But as hearing so many terrible things the hearts of men may be troubled, He therefore adds for their consolation, Settle it therefore in your hearts, &c.
But upon hearing so many terrors, the hearts of the weak could be disturbed, and therefore consolation is added when it is immediately subjoined: "Settle it therefore in your hearts not to premeditate how you will answer." As if He openly says to His weakening members: Do not be terrified, do not be afraid; you approach the contest, but I fight; you utter the words, but I am the one who speaks.
Therefore, set in your hearts not to meditate beforehand what you shall answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist or contradict. As if openly saying to his weakening members: Do not be …
Since they were simple and unlearned men, lest they be troubled that wise men would demand an account from them, He says that they should not be concerned about this at all.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Thirdly, When Christ gives to his witnesses a mouth and wisdom, they are enabled to say that both for him and themselves which all their adversaries are not able to gainsay or resist, so that they are silenced, and put to confusion.
Settle it therefore in your hearts,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
These words no doubt received a partial fulfillment in the days when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans, and the Jews were led into captivity. It was a season of unparalleled desolation to Judea, and the countries round about Judea. The last days of the Jewish dispensation, were wound up by a struggle which for bloodshed, misery, and tribulation, has never been equaled since the world began. But the words before us have yet to receive a more complete accomplishment. They describe the time which shall immediately precede the second coming of Jesus Christ.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These words no doubt received a partial fulfillment in the days when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans, and the Jews were led into captivity. It was a season of unparalleled desolation to Judea, and the countries round about Judea. The last days of the Jewish dispensation, were wound up by a struggle which for bloodshed, misery, and tribulation, has never been equaled since the world began. But the words before us have yet to receive a more complete accomplishment. They describe the time which shall immediately precede the second coming of Jesus Christ. The "time of the end" shall be a time of war, and not of universal peace. The Christian dispensation shall pass away like the Jewish one — amid wars, tumults, and desolation, amid a general crash of empires and kingdoms, such as the eyes of man have never yet seen. A thorough understanding of these things is of great importance to our souls. Nothing is so calculated to chill the heart and dampen the faith of a Christian — as indulgence in unscriptural expectations . Let us dismiss from our minds the vain idea that nations will ever give up wars entirely, before Jesus Christ comes again. So long as the devil is the prince of this world, and the hearts of the many are unconverted — so long there must be strife and fighting. There will be no universal peace before the second coming of the Prince of peace. Then, and then only, "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4.) Let us cease to expect that missionaries and ministers will ever convert the world, and teach all mankind to love one another. They will do nothing of the kind! They were never intended to do it.
Settle it therefore, etc. - See on Mat 10:19 (note).
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| θέτε | thete | do implant | G5087 → | 100 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίαις | kardiais | hearts | G2588 → | 156 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| προμελετᾶν | promeletan | to premeditate | G4304 → | |
| ἀπολογηθῆναι· | apologethenai | to present a defense; | G626 → |
θέτεdo implant
theteG5087 →100 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαιςhearts
kardiaisG2588 →156 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
προμελετᾶνto premeditate
promeletanG4304 →
ἀπολογηθῆναι·to present a defense;
apologethenaiG626 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 13:11But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the…
it leads to
- Luke 21:14–15
So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves.
- Luke 12:11–12
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.
- Matthew 10:19–21
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
- Acts 6:10
but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
- 1 Corinthians 2:13
And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
- Luke 21:14–15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Luke
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 21; Cyprian, Treatise XI. Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus.; Cyprian, Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus; Cyprian, Epistle LXXVI; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 139; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 35; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.