Luke 12:11
What does Luke 12:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 12:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 12:11 means
Jesus prepares His followers for real trials: being brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities. He commands them not to worry about how to defend themselves or what to say. The anticipation of persecution is not a call to dread but to trust. Anxiety about words often springs from self-reliance and fear of outcomes. Jesus frees them from that burden, pointing them away from their own resources to God’s. Their task is faithfulness; God will supply wisdom. This does not forbid thoughtful preparation in general, but it rejects panic and manipulative speech under pressure.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And 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:
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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
American Standard Version · 1901And 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
Bible in Basic English · 1949And 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:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And when they bring you before the synagogues, and the rulers, and the authorities, be not anxious how or what ye may reply, or what ye may say,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when they shall bring you into the synagogues and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But when they bring you before the synagogues and rulers and the authorities, be not careful how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say;
Context
In the flow of confession and denial, Jesus realistically anticipates the cost of allegiance. He bridges the warning about the Spirit’s blasphemy to a promise about the Spirit’s aid. The disciples are not to be paralyzed by courtroom settings or hostile questioning. Immediately in the next verse, He names the Holy Spirit as their teacher in the very hour of trial, shifting the ground of confidence from human eloquence to divine help.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 12:22
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.
- Mark 13:9
But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them.
- Acts 6:9
But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue calledthe synagogueof the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen.
- Matthew 10:17
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you;
- Acts 4:5
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem;
- Matthew 23:34
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
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