Luke 22 · Verse 38

Luke 22:38

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

Luke 22:38, King James Version

Luke 22:38 in other translations

BSB	So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” He answered.
WEB	They said, “Lord, behold, here are two swords.” He said to them, “That is enough.”
ASV	And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
YLT	And they said, ‘Sir, lo, here are two swords;' and he said to them, ‘It is sufficient.'
DARBY	And they said, Lord, behold here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough.
BBE	And they said, Lord, here are two swords. And he said, It is enough.
Webster	And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough.

What does Luke 22:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 22:35-38

35-38. But now--that you are going forth not as before on a temporary mission, provided for without purse or scrip, but into scenes of continued and severe trial, your methods must be different; for purse and scrip will now be needed for support, and the usual means of defense.

Read the full comment on Luke 22:35-38 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 38. Are two swords. The Galileans, it is said, often went armed. The Essenes did so also. The reason was that the country was full of robbers and wild beasts, and it was necessary to carry, in their travels, some means of defence. It seems that the disciples followed the customs of the country, and had with them them some means of defence, though they had but two swords among the twelve.

It is enough. It is difficult to understand this. Some suppose that it is spoken ironically; as if he had said, "You are bravely armed indeed, with two swords among twelve men, and to meet such a host!" Others, that he meant to reprove them for understanding him literally, as if he meant that they were then to procure swords for immediate battle. As if he had said, "This is absurd, or a perversion of my meaning. I did not intend this, but merely to foretell you of impending dangers after my death." It is to be observed that he did not say "the two swords are enough," but "it is enough;" perhaps meaning simply, enough has been said. Other matters press on, and you will yet understand what I mean.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 38 Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough - These words cannot be well understood as being an answer to the supposed command of Christ, for every one who had no sword to go and sell his garment and buy one; for, in this case, they were not enough, or sufficient, as nine of the disciples must be without any instrument of defense; but they may be understood as pointing out the readiness and determination of Peter, and perhaps some others, to defend our Lord: Thou shalt not be treated as a transgressor; here are two swords, and we will fight for thee. In Luk 22:33, Peter had said, he was ready to go with Christ either to prison or death; which showed his strong resolution to stand by and defend his Master, even at the expense of his life. But, alas, he depended too much on himself! It is enough. The meaning probably is, there is enough said on the subject; as immediately after this he entered into his agony. I must here confess that the matter about the swords appear to me very obscure. I am afraid I do not understand it, and I know of none who does. Schoettgen and Lightfoot have said much on the subject; others have endeavored to get rid of the difficulty by translating μαχαιραν a knife, which was necessary on long journeys for providing forage and fuel; as they were to depend wholly on their own industry, under God, for all the necessaries of life, while going through the nations of the earth, preaching the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles. I cannot say which sense the reader should prefer.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 22:21-38

How unbecoming is the worldly ambition of being the greatest, to the character of a follower of Jesus, who took upon him the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death of the cross! In the way to eternal happiness, we must expect to be assaulted and sifted by Satan. If he cannot destroy, he will try to disgrace or distress us. Nothing more certainly forebodes a fall, in a professed follower of Christ, than…

Read the full comment on Luke 22:21-38 →

Luke 22:38 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.

οἱhoi<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

εἶπαν·eipanthey said;G2036

κύριε,kurieLord,G2962

ἰδοὺidoubeholdG2400

μάχαιραιmachairaiswordsG3162

ὧδεhōdehere [are]G5602

δύο.duotwo.G1417

ὁho<the>G3588

δὲdeAndG1161

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846

ἱκανόνhikanonEnoughG2425

ἐστιν.¶estinit is.G1510

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

Cross references for Luke 22:38

2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Matthew 26:52-54
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. …
Luke 22:49
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
1 Peter 5:9
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

It.
Mt 26:52-54; Joh 18:36; 2Co 10:3,4; Eph 6:10-18; 1Th 5:8; 1Pe 5:9

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

Context

Luke 22:37
For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
Luke 22:38
And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
Luke 22:39
And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Read all of Luke 22

Luke 22:38 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces ellos dijeron: Señor, he aquí dos espadas. Y él les dijo: Basta.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et ils dirent: Seigneur, voici ici deux épées. Et il leur dit: C’est assez.
German Elberfelder 1871	Sie aber sprachen: Herr, siehe, hier sind zwei Schwerter. Er aber sprach zu ihnen: Es ist genug.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	At illi dixerunt: Domine, ecce duo gladii hic. At ille dixit eis: Satis est.