Luke 21 · Verse 18

Luke 21:18

But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luke 21:18, King James Version

Luke 21:18 in other translations

BSBYet not even a hair of your head will perish.
WEBAnd not a hair of your head will perish.
ASVAnd not a hair of your head shall perish.
YLTand a hair out of your head shall not perish;
DARBYAnd a hair of your head shall in no wise perish.
BBEBut not a hair of your head will come to destruction.
WebsterBut there shall not a hair of your head perish.

What does Luke 21:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. not a hair ... perish--He had just said (Lu 21:16) they should be put to death; showing that this precious promise is far above immunity from mere bodily harm, and furnishing a key to the right interpretation of the ninety-first Psalm, and such like. Matthew adds the following (Mt 24:12): "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many," the many or, the most--the generality of professed disciples--"shall wax cold." But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Sad illustrations of the effect of abounding iniquity in cooling the love of faithful disciples we have in the Epistle of James, written about this period referred to, and too frequently ever since (He 10:38, 39; Re 2:10). "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness, and then shall the end come" (Mt 24:14). God never sends judgment without previous warning; and there can be no doubt that the Jews, already dispersed over most known countries, had nearly all heard the Gospel "as a witness," before the end of the Jewish state. The same principle was repeated and will repeat itself to the end.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. A hair of your head perish. This is a proverbial expression, denoting that they should not suffer any essential injury. This was strikingly fulfilled in the fact that in the calamities of Jerusalem there is reason to believe that no Christian suffered. Before those calamities came on the city they had fled to Pella, a city on the east of the Jordan. Mt 24:18.

(r) "But there shall not" Mt 10:30

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 But there shall not a hair of your head perish - A proverbial expression for, Ye shall not suffer any essential injury. Every genuine Christian shall escape when this desolation comes upon the Jewish state.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 21:5-28

With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer…

Read the full comment on Luke 21:5-28 →

Luke 21:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiButG2532
θρὶξthrixa hairG2359
ἐκekofG1537
τῆςtēstheG3588
κεφαλῆςkephalēsheadG2776
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
ἀπόληται.apolētaimay perish.G622

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 21:18

  • Matthew 10:30

    But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

  • 1 Samuel 14:45

    And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

  • Acts 27:34

    Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

  • Luke 12:7

    But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

  • 2 Samuel 14:11

    Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

  • 1 Samuel 25:29

    Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12:7; 1Sa 14:45; 25:29; 2Sa 14:11; Mt 10:30; Ac 27:34

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 21:17

    And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

  • Luke 21:18

    But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

  • Luke 21:19

    In your patience possess ye your souls.

Read all of Luke 21

Luke 21:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas un pelo de vuestra cabeza no perecerá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et pas un cheveu de votre tête ne périra.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nicht ein Haar von eurem Haupte wird verloren gehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et capillus de capite vestro non peribit.