Bible Strands
Luke 12:11
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses His disciples regarding future trials before religious and civil tribunals. He delivers this instruction immediately after distinguishing between forgivable speech against the Son of Man and unforgivable blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The words — εἰσφέρωσιν (eispherōsin) translates literally as "they may bring in" or "they may bring you before." Ὅταν (Hotan) functions as a temporal marker meaning "when," framing the command as a future certainty rather than a hypothetical.
The thread — The scenario of facing councils and synagogues appears in Matthew 10:17, while the promise of Spirit-led speech is echoed in Luke 12:12 and Acts 4:5. The command to abandon anxiety over defense parallels the later instruction in Luke 12:22 not to worry about life's necessities.
Why it lands — The text commands believers to cease worrying about their defense or their words when brought before authorities. It requires immediate reliance on the promised Spirit instruction rather than 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
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:
Cross-references
- Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- Acts 4:5 The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,
- Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
- Luke 21:12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors.
- Matthew 23:34 Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.
- Mark 13:9 So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
- Acts 6:9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,
- Acts 5:27 They brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, where the high priest interrogated them.