When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.
Parallel translations
- WEB “When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe.
- KJV When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
- BSB When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.
- ESV When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;
- NASB When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are secure.
- NLT For when a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A fully armed strong man guards his house and his goods are safe. The image pictures Satan's grip until a greater power comes.
Overview
Jesus likens Satan to a strong man secure in his possessions. As long as he is unchallenged, his captives remain in his power. The brief parable prepares for the announcement that a stronger one has come.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Mark 3:27But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.
- Matt 12:29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 11:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.