Luke 21:19 kjv
In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luke 21:19 nkjv
By your patience possess your souls.
Luke 21:19 niv
Stand firm, and you will win life.
Luke 21:19 esv
By your endurance you will gain your lives.
Luke 21:19 nlt
By standing firm, you will win your souls.
Luke 21 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 5:3-4 | "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance..." | Endurance produces character and hope. |
| Rom 8:25 | "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." | Patience tied to hope in unseen future. |
| Rom 12:12 | "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." | Patience in tribulation as a command. |
| Col 1:11 | "May you be strengthened with all power... for all endurance and patience with joy." | Endurance is a mark of divine strengthening. |
| 2 Thess 1:4 | "We boast about your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions..." | Perseverance commended in suffering. |
| 2 Tim 2:12 | "If we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us." | Enduring leads to reigning with Christ. |
| Heb 6:12 | "So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit..." | Faith and patience lead to inheritance. |
| Heb 10:36 | "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is..." | Endurance needed to receive God's promise. |
| Heb 12:1-3 | "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us... considering Him who endured from sinners." | Endure by fixing eyes on Christ's example. |
| Jas 1:3-4 | "For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have..." | Testing develops steadfastness/maturity. |
| Jas 5:10-11 | "Brothers, as an example of suffering and patience, take the prophets... the steadfastness of Job..." | Prophets and Job as examples of patience. |
| 1 Pet 2:20 | "But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God." | Gracious to endure suffering for doing good. |
| Rev 1:9 | "I, John... was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." | John as an example of enduring persecution. |
| Rev 2:2-3 | "I know your toil and your endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil..." | Churches praised for their endurance. |
| Rev 3:10 | "Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial..." | Endurance rewarded with preservation. |
| Rev 14:12 | "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God..." | Endurance distinguishes God's saints. |
| Matt 16:25-26 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." | Gaining true life by losing worldly life. |
| Mark 8:35 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's..." | Echoes the paradox of gaining/losing life. |
| Lk 9:24 | "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." | Luke's parallel to the saying. |
| Acts 14:22 | "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." | Entry into kingdom through tribulations. |
| 1 Cor 15:58 | "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord..." | Steadfastness in Christian labor. |
| Gal 6:9 | "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." | Don't give up in well-doing for a harvest. |
Luke 21 verses
Luke 21 19 Meaning
Luke 21:19 conveys a profound truth about securing one's true self and ultimate destiny in the face of immense tribulation. It instructs believers that through steadfast endurance (active, patient perseverance in faith and good works, not mere passive resignation), they will secure or preserve their spiritual lives, their very being, for eternity. This is not about earning salvation, but demonstrating and holding onto the life that is already in Christ, even when worldly circumstances threaten to take everything away.
Luke 21 19 Context
Luke 21:19 is part of Jesus' eschatological discourse, often referred to as the "Olivet Discourse" (Luke 21:5-36). Preceding this verse, Jesus has just foretold the destruction of the Temple (Lk 21:5-6) and then responded to the disciples' question about when these things would happen and what signs would precede them (Lk 21:7). He describes various calamitous events—wars, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues, fearful signs from heaven (Lk 21:9-11). Directly before verse 19, Jesus intensifies the warning, specifying the persecution His disciples will face: being seized, delivered to synagogues and prisons, brought before kings and governors for His name's sake, and even betrayed by family (Lk 21:12-16). Yet, amidst this severe warning, He promises them an opportunity to testify (Lk 21:13), divine wisdom in speech (Lk 21:14-15), and miraculous preservation in Lk 21:18, "not a hair of your head will perish." Verse 19 then follows as a direct instruction on how to navigate these terrifying times, bridging the immediate and the ultimate outcome for believers.
Luke 21 19 Word analysis
- In your (ἐν τῇ ὑμῶν - en tē hymōn): Signifies the sphere or condition within which something occurs. Here, it highlights that the act of "gaining lives" is intrinsically linked to or by means of their patience. It's a personal, active participation of the believer.
- patience / endurance (ὑπομονῇ - hypomonē): This is a critical Greek term. It doesn't mean passive resignation or just waiting, but an active, steadfast persistence and brave perseverance under trial and suffering. It's the capacity to bear up under duress without succumbing, giving up, or retaliating. It implies a constant, unbroken determination fueled by hope and faith in God's promises, enabling one to endure hardships for Christ's sake.
- possess / gain / acquire (κτήσασθε - ktēsasthai): This is an aorist middle imperative verb. "Acquire for yourselves," "secure," or "gain" best captures its sense. It's not about achieving a temporary state but a definitive act of acquisition or preservation. The middle voice emphasizes that the action is done for or to oneself, indicating a direct personal benefit or outcome. It's a command for urgent action.
- ye / your (ὑμῶν - hymōn): Possessive pronoun, again emphasizing the personal nature of the command and the outcome. This relates to each disciple personally.
- souls / lives (ψυχάς - psychas): The plural of psychē (soul/life). Here, psychē refers to one's very existence, life itself—not just the immaterial soul, but the entirety of one's being, one's personhood, both temporal and eternal. In the context of the Gospels, Jesus often uses psychē to denote one's true, eternal life in contrast to physical or earthly life. Thus, "gaining your lives" means preserving your ultimate spiritual and eternal existence.
- "In your patience possess ye your souls" / "By your endurance you will gain your lives": This phrase links the challenging process of hypomonē directly to the ultimate outcome of securing psychas. The method of salvation or preservation is found within the context of patient endurance during persecution. It acts as both a divine command and an assured promise—the means and the result are bound together. It clarifies that true preservation is spiritual, secured by unwavering fidelity.
Luke 21 19 Bonus section
While Luke 21:18 ("not a hair of your head will perish") and Luke 21:19 ("In your patience possess ye your souls") appear sequentially, they represent distinct yet complementary facets of divine providence and human responsibility during tribulation. Verse 18 can be interpreted as a divine guarantee of ultimate safety and the integrity of the true self (not that believers will avoid physical death, but that their true being or eternal salvation is secure from annihilation or God's wrath), echoing similar reassurances in the Bible regarding God's care over His faithful ones (e.g., Ps 91:1-16; Matt 10:30). Verse 19 then describes how this ultimate preservation of the "soul" (eternal life/being) is practically realized from the human side: through active hypomonē (endurance). The "possession" or "gaining" of one's psychē through hypomonē is not a meritorious act for salvation but the demonstration and active maintaining of a salvific relationship with Christ during overwhelming adversity. It means confirming and holding onto the life God has given them by remaining steadfast. This is crucial as it grounds spiritual promises in the practical reality of suffering, showing that faith is proven and made tangible in perseverance.
Luke 21 19 Commentary
Luke 21:19 distills the essence of Christian discipleship, especially in times of severe testing. Coming immediately after Jesus details the extent of persecution the disciples will face—betrayal, hatred, and martyrdom (Lk 21:16-17)—and yet a promise of ultimate preservation ("not a hair of your head will perish," Lk 21:18), this verse serves as both an exhortation and an assurance. The command to "possess/gain your lives" through "endurance" (hypomonē) is crucial. It’s not a passive waiting for troubles to end, but an active, persistent faithfulness that clings to Christ amidst tribulation. This active endurance demonstrates and confirms the authenticity of one's faith, securing the ultimate prize: their eternal psychē, their true spiritual life with God. While their physical lives might be threatened or even taken, their ultimate "life" or spiritual destiny, found in Christ, is assured through such steadfastness. It reminds believers that perseverance through suffering for Christ is the pathway to authentic and eternal life.
- Example 1: When facing relentless criticism or ostracism for holding biblical convictions, patiently continuing to follow Christ and speak His truth without retaliating or compromising secures one's spiritual integrity.
- Example 2: Enduring prolonged illness or personal loss with faith, trust, and continued worship, rather than despair, demonstrates the "patience" that maintains one's hope and peace in God.