You
will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. And not a hair of your head will perish. “By your endurance you will win your lives.
Luke 21:16-19
Luke 21 [8.] He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them. When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
Luke 21 [10.] Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. It will turn out as a testimony for you. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. And not a hair of your head will perish.
Luke 21 [19.] “By your endurance you will win your lives.
Luke 21 [20.] “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein. For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Meaning:
Jesus had told his disciples that they would be arrested and brought before kings and governors, and that he would give them words to speak (Luke 21:10-14; Luke 21:15). Now he speaks of a deeper pain: betrayal by those closest to them. Yet he ends with one of the most comforting promises in the Gospels, and a call to endure. Mark and Matthew record similar words (Mark 13:12-13; Matthew 10:21-22).
- “You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends”
In the ancient world family was a person’s security, identity and protection. To follow Jesus could break those bonds. A Jew who confessed Jesus as Messiah might be disowned by his household, and in times of Roman persecution relatives sometimes informed on believers to protect themselves. The prophet Micah had described a society so corrupt that “a man’s enemies are the men of his own house” (Micah 7:6). Jesus does not say this to make his followers suspicious of their families, but so that they will not be shaken when rejection comes from where they least expect it. He had warned that loyalty to him must come before every other loyalty (Luke 14:26).
- “They will cause some of you to be put to death”
Jesus speaks honestly. Stephen was stoned in Jerusalem, James the brother of John was put to death by Herod, and according to early Christian tradition many of the apostles died as martyrs. Following Christ does not guarantee physical safety in this world.
- “You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake”
The hatred is not because believers are unpleasant or troublesome, but “for my name’s sake.” Those who belong to Jesus share in the rejection he faced. The world’s hostility is really directed at him.
- “And not a hair of your head will perish”
This promise sits right beside the warning that some will be killed, so it cannot mean that no believer will ever be harmed. It means that nothing can destroy those who belong to Christ. Jesus had taught, “don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do,” and he added, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12:4-7). Their lives are in God’s hands, and their final destiny is secure. Paul wrote that neither death nor life nor “any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
- “By your endurance you will win your lives”
The word “endurance” means steadfast perseverance under pressure. Salvation is God’s gift, but it is received and held by those who keep trusting him to the end. In the parable of the sower the good soil represents those who “hold it tightly, and produces fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). Mark’s version of this saying reads, “he who endures to the end, the same will be saved” (Mark 13:13). To lose one’s life for Christ is, in the end, to gain it.
The Significance of Luke 21:16-19
- When loved ones oppose faith
Some believers today face rejection from family because of Christ. Jesus knew this pain and prepared his followers for it. Faithfulness to him can go together with continued love for those who oppose us.
- Safe in God’s keeping
The promise that not a hair will perish gives courage. Whatever happens to the body, the believer is held by God for eternity.
- Endurance as a daily choice
Endurance is not dramatic. It is continuing to trust, pray and obey day after day. Paul wrote, “we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Hebrews adds, “For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36).
Cross-References:
Mark 13:12-13: "You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved." Mark’s parallel.
Matthew 10:29-31: "the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don’t be afraid." God’s detailed care.
Romans 8:37-39: "in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Nothing separates us from God’s love.
Hebrews 10:36: "For you need endurance" Endurance leads to the promise.
Conclusion: Jesus warned that following him could cost the closest relationships and even life itself, and that his people would be hated for his name’s sake. Yet he promised that not a hair of their heads would perish, for nothing can destroy those who belong to him. By steadfast endurance, trusting him day after day, believers win their lives and receive what God has promised.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible