And when they shall lead you and deliver you up, be not thoughtful beforehand what you shall speak: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye. For it is not you that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
οταν δε αγαγωσιν υμας παραδιδοντες μη προμεριμνατε τι λαλησητε μηδε μελετατε αλλ ο εαν δοθη υμιν εν εκεινη τη ωρα τουτο λαλειτε ου γαρ εστε υμεις οι λαλουντες αλλα το πνευμα το αγιον
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Before the pivotal conflict between the Romans and the Jews, the apostles endured significant trials at the hands of their adversaries, as they were brought before rulers such as Herod, Agrippa, and Nero. Yet, as it is said, do not worry in advance about how you will respond; at that very moment, the Holy Spirit will provide you with the words to speak.
Rather than idly waiting for the conclusion of this age, direct your focus inward and to your endeavors. You stand at significant risk (Luke 21:12): prior to the onset of widespread troubles, you will endure various afflictions. Despite your righteousness, the animosity of all nations, as well as the hostility from both Jews and Gentiles, will be directed at you. You will face persecution, incarceration, disgrace, torment, and even death. In a blinded surge of bias, your nearest kin—parents, siblings, and friends—will become your adversaries, betraying and condemning you. Many among you shall sacrifice your lives for my sake. Yet do not lose heart!
Amid all these tribulations, the Providence and love of your heavenly Father will be with you; not a single hair shall fall from your head without His divine will. During those times, you will find yourselves with numerous opportunities to respond in your own synagogues and in foreign courts, bearing witness to my name before dignitaries and rulers. In such moments, be assured not to fret over what you will say or how you will say it, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit will be given to you. I will grant you a mouth and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand. More insidious and hazardous than all forms of persecution will be the weakening of love among your own circles due to moral decay; divisions and strife will arise, becoming instruments of betrayal even among your fellow believers; false prophets and teachers will emerge from within your community. Trust will erode, love and friendship will grow cold, and faith itself may be overshadowed. Difficult times are ahead, yet those of you chosen for these moments must save your souls through endurance. He who endures to the end shall be saved (Luke 21:19; Matthew 24:13).
The circumstances of the disciples did not necessitate that the entirety of the divine plan regarding the revelation of His kingdom be disclosed to them. Consequently, the Lord chose to unveil the future only to the extent needed to dispel their misconceptions, alert them to the challenges that lay ahead, and to serve as a caution for fellow believers. 'He will depart to His Father—others will come in His name, but do not be misled; that is not how He will manifest during this time on earth. Conflict will arise, yet it is not the end of the age. Wars will occur, and plagues, famines, and earthquakes will take place: these events are merely the beginning of troubles (be patient).
The trials faced by the Lord's disciples—whoever they may be—will be particularly severe: persecution, enmity, immorality, temptation—all these threats will loom over them. Even truth and love will be increasingly rare among them. This will signify the nearness of the end, which will arrive when the Gospel has been proclaimed to all creation.
The intensity of the crisis will be especially evident in the betrayal of the faithful by their own kin and the widespread animosity towards Christians. To this depiction, Matthew adds the foreknowledge that many will be led astray, meaning they will abandon their faith, and numerous false prophets will emerge within the Christian community itself. Furthermore, he warns that many will face temptation to depart from the truth, causing a great number to be led astray, and as iniquity increases, love will become cold among many. Yet, the Savior foretold a remarkable sign during the final days for both Jerusalem and the world: the proclamation of the Gospel across the entirety of creation. Those acquainted with church history need only to reflect on how profoundly this has already been realized in the early church.
Discussion on the Mount of Olives regarding the impending downfall of Jerusalem. When Jesus cautioned His disciples about the timing of the world's end and His glorious return, He emphasized the events leading up to the devastation of the Temple and Jerusalem. "You will experience persecution from Jews dispersed throughout the land and from Gentiles. You will be handed over to synagogues and prisons and taken before rulers and governors; you will bear witness to them about me and my teachings. You will face torture and death; they will abhor you because of me. Yet, do not be afraid!
When you are interrogated, do not premeditate your responses or be anxious about how to reply, for the Holy Spirit will speak through you; I will grant you the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to refute or withstand." The Jewish conflict unfolded, meticulously chronicled by Josephus Flavius, a Jewish historian who was an eyewitness. However, prior to that, the apostles experienced the foretold tribulations. They would first face arrest and persecution, being taken to synagogues and prisons, and brought before rulers for the sake of His name (Luke 21:12). According to the writings of Luke the Evangelist, in his subsequent work, the Acts of the Apostles, alongside accounts from contemporary pagan historians, it is clear that as the Apostles preached across various nations, they encountered intense animosity from the Jews. Their fellow believers slandered them, summoned them to synagogues for judgment, reported them to local authorities, assaulted them, and even aided the Gentiles in their hostility. Thus, following the accusations from the Jews, the Gentiles also turned against the Apostles; they faced beatings, stoning, trials before kings and rulers, imprisonment, crucifixion, and execution. Yet, when questioned, they did not rehearse their replies, adhering to Christ's promise; they trusted that the Holy Spirit would speak on their behalf (Mark 13:11), and through their insightful responses, they astonished judges and torturers alike. The persecution extended beyond the Apostles to all Christians, intensifying during Nero's reign, when Christians were cruelly executed, burned alive to light the imperial gardens, and fed to lions for the amusement of pagan onlookers. Nevertheless, amid the brutality of these oppressions, the message of the Apostles spread widely, and even in Rome, numerous families counted members among secret believers in Christ.
The Lord communicated these messages to his disciples as He commissioned them to share His gospel in Judea, simultaneously predicting the events that would occur when they preached to all nations (cf. Matt. 10:19-22). It seems that the Lord reiterated these statements; while Matthew, who previously explained them, does not include them in this instance, Mark, who left them out earlier, chooses to include them here.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 31 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS