“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 21:15 Mean?
Jesus promises his disciples something extraordinary for moments of persecution: I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. The words and the wisdom come from Jesus directly — not from preparation or training.
The promise is specific to moments of confrontation: when you are brought before authorities for his name's sake. The divine assistance is not for sermon preparation. It is for persecution defense.
"A mouth and wisdom" — both the words (mouth) and the understanding (wisdom) are given. Not just eloquent speech but speech backed by insight. The combination makes the defense unassailable.
"Shall not be able to gainsay nor resist" — the adversaries will have no rebuttal and no power to overcome. The words Jesus gives are unanswerable. The wisdom is irresistible.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How is the promise of divine words in persecution different from general guidance for daily speech?
- 2.Where have you experienced God giving you words you did not plan — in a moment that mattered?
- 3.What does 'adversaries unable to gainsay or resist' mean for confidence in hostile situations?
- 4.How does this promise reduce the fear of confrontation for faithfulness?
Devotional
I will give you a mouth and wisdom. When the moment comes — when you stand before authorities for his name — Jesus himself provides the words and the understanding. Not your education. Not your preparation. His gift.
Which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Unanswerable. Irresistible. The adversaries — however powerful, however educated, however hostile — will not be able to refute or overcome what Jesus gives you to say.
The promise is not for every conversation. It is for the specific moment of persecution — when faithfulness has brought you before hostile authorities and your words carry the weight of testimony. In that moment, you are not alone. Jesus speaks through you.
The early church experienced this repeatedly: Peter before the Sanhedrin, Stephen before the council, Paul before governors and kings. In each case, the adversaries could not gainsay or resist the wisdom that was given.
If that moment comes for you — if faithfulness leads to confrontation, if standing for truth puts you before hostile authority — the promise stands. Jesus will give you a mouth and wisdom. Not might. Will. The words will come. The wisdom will be sufficient. And the adversaries will not be able to overcome it.
You do not need to fear the confrontation. The one who promised the mouth and the wisdom has never failed to deliver.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And ye shall be hated of all men,.... See Gill on Mat 10:22. See Gill on Mat 24:9.
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Luke 21:18
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I will give you a mouth and wisdom - Στομα, a mouth, must appear plain to every person to be used here for a ready…
See here, I. With what admiration some spoke of the external pomp and magnificence of the temple, and they were some of…
I will give you a mouth as in Exo 4:11-12; Jer 1:9; Isa 6:6. God, as Milton says, -sendeth forth His cherubim with the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture