And not a hair of your head will perish.
Parallel translations
- KJV But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
- BSB Yet not even a hair of your head will perish.
- NKJV But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
- NASB And yet not a hair of your head will perish.
- NLT But not a hair of your head will perish!
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
Despite persecution, not a hair of their head will perish, for they are kept in God's care.
Overview
Though some believers will be killed, Jesus assures that ultimately nothing of them will be truly lost. This is a promise of God's preserving care and final salvation, not of escape from all physical harm. Their lives are secure in God's hands even through death.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Matt 10:30but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
- 1 Sam 14:45The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die.
- Luke 12:7But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
- Acts 27:34Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.”
- 2 Sam 14:11Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”
- 1 Sam 25:29Though men may rise up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies, as from the hollow of a sling.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:18 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.