Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,
- KJV Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
- ESV Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
- NKJV Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
- NASB Are two sparrows not sold for an assarion? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
- NLT What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.
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
Not even a worthless sparrow falls without the Father's knowing care. God's sovereign attention extends to the smallest details.
Overview
Jesus uses the cheapness of sparrows to magnify God's providence: nothing, however trivial, escapes the Father's will. This assurance of meticulous sovereignty grounds the call not to fear persecution. If God governs the fate of a sparrow, He surely watches over His suffering people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Luke 12:6–7Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
- Ps 104:27–30All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:29 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.