The Meaning of Luke 10:19 Explained

Luke 10:19

KJV: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

YLT: lo, I give to you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you;

Darby: Behold, I give you the power of treading upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall in anywise injure you.

ASV: Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold,  I give  unto you  power  to tread  on  serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the power  of the enemy:  and  nothing  shall  by any means  hurt  {5625;91:5692} you. 

What does Luke 10:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The power that Jesus had given the Seventy to escape injury symbolized their ability to overcome Satan and His demons spiritually (cf. Revelation 12:13-17). Thus the connection with the previous verse is clear. Jesus probably referred to snakes and scorpions because they represented these spiritual foes (cf. Genesis 3:15). In other words, we should probably take His words figuratively rather than literally. This was evidently a special protection that Jesus gave His disciples during this mission. Jesus may have given it again to His disciples following His resurrection (cf. Mark 16:18). This verse is in the debated long ending of Mark"s Gospel. However, that protection apparently lasted only a short time (cf. Acts 28:1-6). Jesus" disciples since then have experienced injury, so it was evidently a limited provision in view of the unique ministry of Jesus" original disciples and apostles. Even during the apostolic age many disciples did not escape injury or death ( Acts 7:60; Acts 12:2; 2 Timothy 4:20).

Context Summary

Luke 10:17-24 - The Sources Of Deepest Joy
How triumphant the return of the evangelist! With faces flushed with pride and hearts high with elation, they returned to the Master with their reports. What wisdom it is to talk our work over with Jesus! Even the demons were subject to His Name. He was not surprised. While He had been watching, bearing them up by His intercessions, He had seen an alteration take place in the unseen world. Satan had fallen, as though the work done by these humble men had turned the scale against him. Is it not so still? What we do is of eternal importance.
Then, "in that same hour" it seemed as though the flood-gates of the Savior's soul were flung open for very joy. He rejoiced that babe-like hearts might know the deep things of God; that all things were opened to Him in His humanity as in the ages before He became man; and that He was permitted to reveal the Father to those who loved and obeyed Him. It was for these, and for us, to know things hidden from prophets and kings. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 10

1  Jesus sends out at once seventy disciples to work miracles, and to preach;
13  pronounces a woe against certain cities
17  The seventy return with joy;
18  he shows them wherein to rejoice,
21  and thanks his Father for his grace;
23  magnifies the happy estate of his church;
25  teaches the lawyer how to attain eternal life,
30  and tells the parable of the good Samaritan;
38  reprimands Martha, and commends Mary her sister

Greek Commentary for Luke 10:19

And over all the power of the enemy [και επι πασαν την δυναμιν του εχτρου]
This is the heart of “the authority” But protection from physical harm is not the main point in this struggle with Satan “the enemy” (Matthew 13:25; Romans 16:20; 1 Peter 5:8). [source]
Nothing shall in any wise hurt you [ουδεν υμας ου μη αδικησει]
Text has future active indicative, while some MSS. read αδικησηι — adikēsēi aorist active subjunctive of αδικεω — adikeō common verb from αδικος — adikos (α — a privative and δικος — dikos), to suffer wrong, to do wrong. The triple negative here is very strong. Certainly Jesus does not mean this promise to create presumption or foolhardiness for he repelled the enemy‘s suggestion on the pinnacle of the temple. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 10:19

Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents [οπεις αρουσιν]
Jesus had said something like this in Luke 10:19 and Paul was unharmed by the serpent in Malta (Acts 28:3.). [source]
Revelation 9:3 Scorpions []
See Ezekiel 2:6; Luke 10:19; Luke 11:12. Shaped like a lobster, living in damp places, under stones, in clefts of walls, cellars, etc. The sting is in the extremity of the tail. The sting of the Syrian scorpion is not fatal, though very painful. The same is true of the West Indian scorpion. Thomson says that those of North Africa are said to be larger, and that their poison frequently causes death. The wilderness of Sinai is especially alluded to as being inhabited by scorpions at the time of the Exodus (Deuteronomy 8:15); and to this very day they are common in the same district. A part of the mountains bordering on Palestine in the south was named from these Akrabbim Akrab being the Hebrew for scorpion. [source]
Revelation 7:2 From the sun-rising [απο ανατολης ηλιου]
Same phrase in Revelation 16:12. From the east, though why is not told. Swete suggests it is because Palestine is east of Patmos. The plural απο ανατολων — apo anatolōn occurs in Matthew 2:1 without ηλιου — hēliou (sun).The seal of the living God (σπραγιδα τεου ζωντος — sphragida theou zōntos). Here the signet ring, like that used by an Oriental monarch, to give validity to the official documents. The use of ζωντος — zōntos with τεου — theou accents the eternal life of God (Revelation 1:18; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 15:7) as opposed to the ephemeral pagan gods.To whom it was given For εδοτη — edothē see Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4, etc. The repetition of αυτοις — autois in addition to οις — hois (both dative) is a redundant Hebraism (in vernacular Koiné to some extent) often in the Apocalypse (Revelation 3:8). The angels are here identified with the winds as the angels of the churches with the churches (Revelation 1:20).To hurt (αδικησαι — adikēsai). First aorist active infinitive of αδικεω — adikeō subject of εδοτη — edothē common use of αδικεω — adikeō in this sense of to hurt in the Apocalypse (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 6:6 already), in Luke 10:19 also. The injury is to come by letting loose the winds, not by withholding them. [source]
Revelation 7:2 To whom it was given [οις εδοτη αυτοις]
For εδοτη — edothē see Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4, etc. The repetition of αυτοις — autois in addition to οις — hois (both dative) is a redundant Hebraism (in vernacular Koiné to some extent) often in the Apocalypse (Revelation 3:8). The angels are here identified with the winds as the angels of the churches with the churches (Revelation 1:20).To hurt (αδικησαι — adikēsai). First aorist active infinitive of αδικεω — adikeō subject of εδοτη — edothē common use of αδικεω — adikeō in this sense of to hurt in the Apocalypse (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 6:6 already), in Luke 10:19 also. The injury is to come by letting loose the winds, not by withholding them. [source]
Revelation 7:2 To hurt [αδικησαι]
First aorist active infinitive of αδικεω — adikeō subject of εδοτη — edothē common use of αδικεω — adikeō in this sense of to hurt in the Apocalypse (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 6:6 already), in Luke 10:19 also. The injury is to come by letting loose the winds, not by withholding them. [source]
Revelation 9:3 The scorpions [οι σκορπιοι]
Old name for a little animal somewhat like a lobster that lurks in stone walls in warm regions, with a venomous sting in its tail, in N.T. in Luke 10:19; Luke 11:12; Revelation 9:3, Revelation 9:5, Revelation 9:10. The scorpion ranks with the snake as hostile to man. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 10:19 mean?

Behold I give you the authority - to tread upon serpents and scorpions upon all power of the enemy nothing you no not will injure
ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων ἐπὶ πᾶσαν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς οὐ μὴ ἀδικήσῃ

ἰδοὺ  Behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
δέδωκα  I  give 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
ἐξουσίαν  authority 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐξουσία  
Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πατεῖν  to  tread 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: πατέω  
Sense: to tread.
ἐπάνω  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπάνω  
Sense: above.
ὄφεων  serpents 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ὄφις  
Sense: snake, serpent.
σκορπίων  scorpions 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: σκορπίος  
Sense: a scorpion, the name of a little animal, somewhat resembling a lobster, which in warm regions lurk, esp.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
δύναμιν  power 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: δύναμις  
Sense: strength power, ability.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐχθροῦ  enemy 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἐχθρός  
Sense: hated, odious, hateful.
οὐδὲν  nothing 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
οὐ  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὐ  
Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer.
ἀδικήσῃ  will  injure 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀδικέω  
Sense: absolutely.