Luke 12:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,

NIV: When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,

NASB: Now when they bring you before the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;

CSB: Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don't worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say.

NLT: And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say,

KJV: 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:

NKJV: “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

Jesus continues teaching His disciples about their need to remain faithful in Him. They will be brought before Jewish and Roman authorities and persecuted for their trust in Him (Matthew 10:18–19; Mark 13:11). If they are excommunicated from the synagogue, they could lose rights to legal protection as well as social and business contacts. Church tradition says most of them will be martyred. The first step is that they will be brought before the authorities.

Not long after the Holy Spirit indwells the Jesus-followers, the Jewish Sanhedrin arrests Peter and John for saying Jesus rose from the dead (Acts 2:1–2; 4:1–3). The council lets them go with a warning to stop preaching Jesus' resurrection (Acts 4:18). The disciples ignore the warning, and later the council arrests and beats all twelve apostles (Acts 5:17–42). The persecution has the opposite effect of what the Sanhedrin intends. The disciples leave, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they [do] not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus" (Acts 5:41–42). Soon, a deacon will be martyred (Acts 7). A Pharisee named Saul will persecute the church, even voting that Jesus-followers be executed (Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2; 26:10). James will be killed by Herod Agrippa I, and Peter will barely escape prison with his life (Acts 12:1–17). Church tradition says that most of the apostles will suffer a martyr's death. But none of them will deny Christ.

Jesus is not saying believers should be careless, unprepared, or senseless about how we approach questions about faith. He is teaching that we should not be anxious—fearful or troubled—when called to defend ourselves. Later, Peter will write:

"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame" (1 Peter 3:15–16).

Peter also tells his readers they should expect to suffer when the world tests their faith (1 Peter 4:12–14). We will have unjust rulers who make unreasonable demands. We need to follow Jesus' example and endure that hardship (1 Peter 2:13–25).

Jesus will revisit this warning shortly before His crucifixion (Luke 21:10–19).

Luke 12:8–12 encourages Jesus' disciples to stand firm. The prior passage spoke of fear of death. Jesus reminded His followers that physical death is not the same as spiritual death. He encouraged them with the truth that God sees them, knows them, and cares for them. Here Jesus reassures His followers: when authorities, religious leaders, or civil magistrates and kings accuse them of crimes, the Holy Spirit will give the disciples the words to speak. The judges who reject their words will stand condemned of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and worthy of hell. Matthew 10:32–33 and 12:31–32 and Mark 3:28–30 also record Jesus' teaching on this subject.

Luke 12:1—13:9 compares the world with the kingdom of God. Jesus has condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54). He now instructs His disciples to reject the fame and security that Pharisees crave, and hold lightly to their lives, wealth, security, and even family. He then warns the crowd to be wise about their relationships with other people and with God. The next two units each include a miracle and teaching on God's kingdom and salvation (Luke 13:10—15:32). Then the final section in the "travelogue" repeats that three-unit pattern (Luke 16:1—19:27) before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.