Luke 12:11

When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer or what you will say;

BSB

When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

KJV

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

ASV

And when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

BBE

And when they take you before the Synagogues and the authorities and the rulers, take no thought about what answers you will give, or what you will say:

Original Greek

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Ὅταν Hotan When G3752 δὲ de then G1161 εἰσφέρωσιν eispherōsin they may bring in G1533 ὑμᾶς humas you G4771 ἐπὶ epi before G1909 τὰς tas the G3588 συναγωγὰς sunagōgas synagogues G4864 καὶ kai and G2532 τὰς tas the G3588 ἀρχὰς archas rulers G746 καὶ kai and G2532 τὰς tas the G3588 ἐξουσίας exousias authorities G1849 μὴ mē not G3361 μεριμνήσητε merimnēsēte may be anxious G3309 πῶς pōs how G4459 ἢ ē or G2228 τί ti what G5101 ἀπολογήσησθε apologēsēsthe you may present a defense G626 ἢ ē or G2228 τί ti what G5101 εἴπητε eipēte you may say G2036

The early church

(Hom. 33. in Matt.) But elsewhere it is said, Be ready to answer every one who shall ask you for a reason of the hope that is in you. When indeed a contest or strife arises among friends, He bids us take thought, but when there are the terrors of a court of justice and fear on every side, He gives His own strength so as to inspire boldness and utterance, but not dismay.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
But the Lord after having inspired such great fear, and prepared men to resist those who depart from a right confession, commanded them for the rest to take no care what they should answer, because for those who are faithfully disposed, the Holy Spirit frames fit words, as their teacher, and dwelling within them. Whence it follows, And when they shall bring you into synagogues, take no thought how or what ye shall answer.
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For when we are led for Christ's sake before judges, we ought to offer only our will for Christ, but in answering, the Holy Spirit will supply His grace, as it is added, For the Holy Spirit will leach you, &c.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Since then our weakness is twofold, and either from fear of punishment we shun martyrdom, or because we are ignorant and can not give a reason of our faith, he has excluded both; the fear of punishment in that He said, Fear not them which kill the body, but the fear of ignorance, when He said, Take no thought how or what ye shall answer, &c.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(inter.) Now he says, how, with respect to the manner of speaking, what, with respect to the manner of intention. How ye shall answer to those who ask, or what ye shall say to those who wish to learn.
Glossa Ordinaria · d. 1274Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–12

A firm belief of the doctrine of God's universal providence, and the extent of it, would satisfy us when in peril, and encourage us to trust God in the way of duty. Providence takes notice of the meanest creatures, even of the sparrows, and therefore of the smallest interests of the disciples of Christ. Those who confess Christ now, shall be owned by him in the great day, before the angels of God. To deter us from denying Christ, and deserting his truths and ways, we are here assured that those who deny Christ, though they may thus save life itself, and though they may gain a kingdom by it, will be great losers at last; for Christ will not know them, will not own them, nor show them favour. But let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 12 →

Parallel passages

3

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 10:19–20Mark 13:11Luke 21:12–15

Cross-references

8

Topics

Minister, ChristianWisdomSynagogueInspirationMagistrate

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.