for I will provide you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute.
Parallel translations
- WEB for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.
- KJV For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
- BSB For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- NKJV for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
- NLT for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!
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
Christ Himself will give them words and wisdom their opponents cannot refute.
Overview
Jesus promises supernatural help, supplying the very speech and insight needed before hostile authorities. This was seen as the Spirit empowered believers like Stephen and Peter in Acts. The promise assures the persecuted that the risen Lord stands with His witnesses.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Jer 1:9Then Yahweh stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
- Eph 6:19on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
- Luke 12:12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
- Acts 6:10They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
- Exod 4:11–12Yahweh said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, Yahweh?
- Col 4:3–4praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;
- 2 Tim 4:16–17At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.
- Luke 24:45Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
- Prov 2:6For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
- Jas 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- Acts 4:8–13Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
- Acts 4:31–33When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
- Acts 26:28Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
- Acts 2:4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
- Acts 24:25As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:15 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.