Luke 21:14

Luk 21:14. Θέσθε, lay it down as settled) Make this your one labour, that ye give yourselves no labour. [It is, in truth, the best kind of study, to commit one’s self to God.—V. g.]

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

Luk_21:14-15. Comp. Luk_12:11 f.; Mat_10:19 f.; Mar_13:11 f.

ἐγώ] stands with great emphasis at the beginning, opposed to the προμελετ. ἀπολογ. of the disciples. Bengel well says: Jesus loquitur pro statu exaltationis suae.

στόμα] a concrete representation of speech. Comp. Soph. Oed. R. 671, Oed. C. 685. A kindred idea, Exo_4:16; Isa_15:1-9.

ἀντειπεῖν] corresponds to στόμα, and ἀντιστ. to σοφίαν (comp. Act_6:10).

The promise was to be fulfilled by the Holy Ghost as the Paraclete, John 14. Comp. Act_6:10. But a reference to the fate of Stephen (Holtzmann) is not sufficiently indicated.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 21:14 . θέτε οὖν : not = consider, as in Luk 1:66 , but = resolve, as in Act 5:4 (“settle it in your hearts,” A.V [176] ). μὴ προμελετᾷν (here only in N.T.), not to study beforehand, with the inf.; not to be taken in the letter, as a rule, but in the spirit, therefore = Mk.’s προμεριμνᾶτε which counsels abstinence from anxious thought beforehand.

[176] Authorised Version.

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

Verse 14. Settle it therefore, &c.] See Clarke on Mt 10:19.

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

(14) Not to meditate before . . .—The word differs from that used in the parallel passage of Mar_13:11, “take no thought” (the addition of “premeditate” there is very doubtful), as involving less anxiety. It is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but the uncompounded verb meets us, as used by St. Paul, in 1Ti_4:15.

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

14. not to meditate before] Luk_12:11; Mat_10:19-20. The meaning is that they were neither to be anxious about the form of their Apologia, not to make it skilfully elaborate.^_

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.

And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren,.... See Gill on Mat 10:21.

and kinsfolks, and friends. The Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions add, "your", to each of these relations, as your parents, &c.

and some of you shall they cause to be put to death; as Stephen was stoned to death, and James, the brother of John, Herod killed with the sword, Act 7:58 and indeed all of them were put to death, except John, before the destruction of Jerusalem.

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

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

Ver. 14. See Mat 10:19; Mar 13:11; {See Trapp on "Mat 10:19"} {See Trapp on "Mar 13:11"}

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.

See Poole on "Mat 10:19-20", See Poole on "Mar 13:11". We must not think that our Saviour by this forbids us what is naturally impossible for us to avoid, that is, the forming of those words first in our thoughts which we speak, nor yet a prudent thinking beforehand what we should speak; but an anxious thinking what we should speak, such a thinking as should argue a distrust in God to carry its through with that testimony which he calleth us forth to give.

For, saith he, I will give you a mouth and wisdom. So he promised Moses, that he would be with his mouth, and teach him what to say, Exo 4:12,15. And he tells Ezekiel, that he would open his mouth, Eze 3:27. Here he promises the disciples a mouth and wisdom, that is, such wisdom as should guide their tongues when they should be called out to testify for him. This was made good to Stephen, Act 6:9,10; the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, those of Cilicia and Asia, were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake. Thus it fared with Peter and John, Act 4:8-13.

By resist we must understand conquer, or victoriously resist. The enemies of the gospel have been always opposing and resisting the patrons and witnesses of and for the truth, but never yet made a conquest: let any indifferent reader but read, and judge the accounts we have of the conflicts between the papists and the protestants in the beginning of the Reformation, or between the papists and the martyrs in Queen Mary’s days in this nation, and judge on whose side there was most Scripture and reason. This promise hath been fulfilling from Christ’s time even to this day. It is true, the enemies have been able to kill the persons of Christ’s disciples; they stoned Stephen, killed James with the sword, Act 7:12; they crucified Peter and Andrew, stoned Philip, banished John into Patmos, flayed Bartholomew, beheaded Matthew, and various ways destroyed many in the first and most furious times, and have slain many thousands since; but the truths which they preached prevailed.

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

Therefore

"Because of this," referring to everything Jesus has said, beginning in Luke 21:10. (See: Connecting Words)

resolve in your hearts

Here "hearts" is a metonym for people's minds. AT: "make up your mind" or "decide firmly" (See: Metonymy)

not to prepare your defense ahead of time

"not to figure out ahead of time what you will say in order to defend yourself against their accusations"

wisdom that all your adversaries will not be able to resist or contradict

"wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict"

I will give you words and wisdom

"I will tell you what wise things to say"

words and wisdom

These can be combined into one phrase. AT: "words of wisdom" or "wise words" (See: Hendiadys)

translationWords

heart

word

wise

adversary

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

14. μὴ προμελετᾶν. Luk 12:11; Mat 10:19-20. The meaning is that they were neither to be anxious about the form of their Apologia, nor to make it skilfully elaborate.

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.

14. προμελετᾷν. The regular word for conning over a speech: here only in N.T. Mk. has the less classical προμεριμνᾷν. Comp. Mat 10:20, and see on 12:11. Hahn would make the word mean anxiety about the result of the defence.

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

To answer. See on answer, 1Pe 3:15.

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