Luke 21:13

Luk 21:13-19. It shall turn to you for a testimony — The persecutions which you suffer shall become a glorious proof both of your innocence and of their guilt in rejecting the gospel. Settle it, therefore, in your hearts, &c. — As the Holy Ghost will assist you in your defences, let it be a fixed point with you, not to meditate before what ye shall answer. See on Mat 10:19, and Mar 13:11. I will give you a mouth and wisdom, &c. — “I will suggest to you such sentiments, and enable you to deliver them with such eloquence, that your defences shall be unanswerable; and your adversaries shall be struck with them, especially when they find by your manner that you have spoken without premeditation.” Of the fulfilment of this promise, we have evident examples in the defences made by the proto- martyr, Stephen, and by the Apostle Paul, especially before King Agrippa and the Roman governors. But there is no need to insist upon particulars. The prevalency of the gospel, wherever it was preached, demonstrates, beyond all doubt, that the defences made by the preachers thereof were unanswerable. Ye shall be betrayed by parents and brethren, &c. — See on Mat 10:22, and Mar 13:12-13. There shall not a hair of your head perish — A proverbial expression denoting absolute safety. The special providence of God shall watch over you for your preservation, and you shall not suffer before the time appointed by God, nor without a full reward. But the promise seems to refer especially to their preservation during the siege of Jerusalem; of which, see on Luk 21:20. Thus Jesus encouraged all to steadfastness in the midst of the fiery trial that was to try them. In patience possess ye your souls — Be calm and serene, masters of yourselves, and superior to all irrational and disquieting passions. By keeping the government of your spirits, you will both avoid much misery, and guard the better against all dangers.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 21:13. Ἀποβήσεται, it shall turn out) with salvation as its issue: Php 1:19 [“This shall turn to my salvation”].—ὑμῖν, to you) In Mark, ch. Luk 13:9, it is αὐτοῖς, “a testimony to [‘against’] them.” The apostles were about to discharge the function of a testimony in relation to them.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 21:13 . ἀποβήσεται , it will turn out; as in Phi 1:19 . ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον , for a testimony to you = to your credit or honour; = εἰς μαρτυρίου δόξαν , Theophy. So also Bleek. J. Weiss (Meyer), following Baur and Hilgenfeld, renders: it will result in your martyrdom . This meaning is kindred to that of Theophy., but can hardly be intended here (Schanz). The idea belongs to a later time, and the sense is scarcely consistent with Luk 21:18 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This shall be the end of your troubles and afflictions, they shall be witnesses both before God and man, as well of the treacherous and cruel dealing of your enemies, as also of your constancy: A noble saying, that the afflictions of the godly and holy men pertains to the witness of the truth.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

for a testimony--an opportunity of bearing testimony.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. It shall turn to you for a testimony.] That is, it shall turn out on your part for a testimony to them (your persecutors) that you are thoroughly persuaded of the truth of what you teach, and that you are no impostors.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(13) It shall turn to you for a testimony.—There are but two writers in the New Testament who use the verb (literally, to come out) in this figurative sense. St. Luke is one, and the other is St. Paul, in a passage so closely parallel to this as to read almost like an echo of it (Php_1:19). The “testimony” is defined by Mar_13:9, as being borne to the kings and rulers before whom the disciples were to stand.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. for a testimony] See Mar_13:9. “In nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation,” Php_1:28. “A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,” 2Th_1:5.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For I will give you a mouth,.... A faculty of speaking, a freedom of expression, a door of utterance, a good degree of elocution, to speak properly, pertinently and freely to any point:

and wisdom; to answer with great propriety, and in the most prudent manner, to any difficult and ensnaring question; and to furnish with such knowledge of the Gospel, and with such gifts and abilities to preach and defend it, that they should be able to give a clear and distinct account of it, and prove every point in it, by the most strong and convincing arguments, and vindicate it against all objections:

which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist. This was remarkably fulfilled in Peter, and John, and in Stephen, Act 4:13. The first word, "gainsay", is left out in the Syriac and Persic versions.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Ver. 13. And it shall turn to you, &c.] While the valour of the martyrs and the savageness of the persecutors strove together, till both, exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and hearers.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, your persecution shall turn to you for a testimony: for a testimony against your adversaries; so as they themselves shall be brought by your confession of me to own me as the true Messiah; and their cruelty, which they mask under the vizor of religion, shall be openly detected, and it shall at last appear to all the world, that the judgments of God are just, for the cruelty they have exercised upon you. And to you it shall be for a testimony; you shall have a more ampler occasion of testifying, both before kings and great men, that I am the true Messiah. Your faith, patience, and constancy shall be made more manifest; you shall also testify that my kingdom is not of this world, and that my disciples care not to expect a terrene felicity. They shall also be a testimony to you, that you expect not your portion and felicity in this, but in another life.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. To you for a testimony—Your persecutions shall be, in the judgment day, a testimony to your faithfulness in behalf of Christ.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It shall turn to you for a testimony - Of your having delivered your own souls, and of their being without excuse.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

13. εἰς μαρτύριον. See Mar 13:9; Php 1:28; 2Th 1:5.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13.] εἰς μαρτ., viz. of your faithfulness, and (Mark) αὐτοῖς, ‘against them:’ the dativus incommodi.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. ἀποβήσεται ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον. “The result to you will be that your sufferings will be for a testimony.” A testimony to what? Not to the innocence of the persecuted, which is not the point: and they were commonly condemned as guilty. Possibly to their loyalty: comp. Php 1:19. More probably to the truth of the Gospel. For the verb comp. Job 13:16; Job_2 Mac. 9:24.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It shall turn [αποβησεται] . Lit., turn out; issue.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.