Bible Strands
Luke 11:21
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses His listeners after declaring that casting out demons by God’s finger proves the kingdom has arrived. He delivers this illustration to clarify the spiritual dynamics of that specific moment.
The words — καθωπλισμένος (kathōplismenos) means "having armed himself," depicting the guard’s prepared state. ἑαυτοῦ αὐλὴν (heautou aulēn) literally translates to "his own courtyard," marking his personal domain.
The thread — This strong man imagery appears in the parallel accounts of Mark 3:27 and Matthew 12:29, where the same metaphor explains how a stronger force must first bind the armed guard to plunder his house.
Why it lands — The text states that an armed guardian keeps his property safe until a stronger opponent overpowers him and takes his armor. It requires the reader to recognize that spiritual security depends on who holds ultimate authority, not on human preparation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
Cross-references
- Mark 3:27 Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
- Matthew 12:29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.