New International VersionI have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
New Living TranslationLook, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.
English Standard VersionBehold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Berean Standard BibleBehold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
Berean Literal BibleBehold, I give you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
King James BibleBehold, 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.
New King James VersionBehold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
New American Standard BibleBehold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
NASB 1995“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
NASB 1977“Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.
Legacy Standard BibleBehold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
Amplified BibleListen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.
Christian Standard BibleLook, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.
Holman Christian Standard BibleLook, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you.
American Standard VersionBehold, 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.
Contemporary English VersionI have given you the power to trample on snakes and scorpions and to defeat the power of your enemy Satan. Nothing can harm you.
English Revised VersionBehold, 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.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationI have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy's power. Nothing will hurt you.
Good News TranslationListen! I have given you authority, so that you can walk on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the Enemy, and nothing will hurt you.
International Standard VersionLook! I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to destroy all the enemy's power, and nothing will ever hurt you.
NET BibleLook, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.
New Heart English BibleLook, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will in any way hurt you.
Webster's Bible TranslationBehold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Weymouth New Testament"I have given you power to tread serpents and scorpions underfoot, and to trample on all the power of the Enemy; and in no case shall anything do you harm. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBehold, I am giving you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
World English BibleBehold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionbehold, I give to you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means will hurt you;
Berean Literal BibleBehold, I give you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
Young's Literal Translation 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;
Smith's Literal TranslationBehold, I give you power to tread above serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBehold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you.
Catholic Public Domain VersionBehold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
New American BibleBehold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.
New Revised Standard VersionSee, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBehold, I give you power, to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall harm you.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English“Behold, I have given you authority that you may tread on snakes and scorpions and all the power of the enemy and nothing will harm you.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBehold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Godbey New TestamentBehold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.
Haweis New Testament
Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shalt in any wise hurt you.
Mace New Testament
I have authoriz'd you to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and triumph over all the power of the enemy; so that nothing shall be capable of doing you any mischief.
Weymouth New Testament
"I have given you power to tread serpents and scorpions underfoot, and to trample on all the power of the Enemy; and in no case shall anything do you harm.
Worrell New Testament
Behold, I have given you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall in any wise harm you.
Worsley New Testament
Behold I give you power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the might of the enemy; and nothing shall at all hurt you.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Joyful Return… 18So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold,I have givenyouauthorityto treadonsnakesandscorpions,andoverallthepowerof theenemy.Nothingwill harmyou.20Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”…
Cross References Mark 16:17-18And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; / they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
Matthew 28:18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Acts 28:3-6Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. / When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” / But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ...
Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Ephesians 6:10-17Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ...
1 John 4:4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Revelation 12:9-11And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. / And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down—he who accuses them day and night before our God. / They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
Revelation 20:1-3Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. / He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. / And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.
Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Exodus 7:10-12So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. / But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts. / Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
Psalm 91:13You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.
Isaiah 11:8The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
Isaiah 54:17No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
Daniel 6:22-23My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.” / The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Daniel 7:27Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
Treasury of Scripture Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. I give. Psalm 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Isaiah 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. Ezekiel 2:6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thornsbe with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though theybe a rebellious house. and nothing. Luke 21:17,18 And ye shall be hated of allmen for my name's sake… Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If Godbe for us, whocan be against us? … Hebrews 13:5,6Let your conversationbe without covetousness;and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee… Jump to Previous AnywiseAuthorityBeastsCaseEnemyEvilFeetHarmHurtInjureMeansOvercomePowerScorpionsSerpentsSnakesStrengthTrampleTreadTreadingUnderfootWayJump to Next AnywiseAuthorityBeastsCaseEnemyEvilFeetHarmHurtInjureMeansOvercomePowerScorpionsSerpentsSnakesStrengthTrampleTreadTreadingUnderfootWayLuke 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.Behold, I have given you authorityThis phrase emphasizes the divine authority granted by Jesus to His disciples. In biblical context, authority is often associated with the power to act on behalf of God. This authority is reminiscent of the dominion given to humanity in Genesis 1:28, where God grants humans authority over creation. It also reflects the authority Jesus Himself exercised during His ministry, as seen in His miracles and teachings ( Matthew 28:18). to tread on snakes and scorpions
Snakes and scorpions are symbolic of evil and danger in the Bible. InGenesis 3:15, the serpent represents Satan, and the promise of crushing its head foreshadows Christ's victory over evil. In the ancient Near East, snakes and scorpions were literal threats, but here they symbolize spiritual adversaries. This imagery assures believers of protection and victory over demonic forces, echoingPsalm 91:13, where the faithful are promised safety from such dangers. and over all the power of the enemy
The "enemy" refers to Satan and his demonic forces. This phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of the authority given to believers, extending beyond physical threats to spiritual warfare.Ephesians 6:12 highlights the spiritual battle against "the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world." The authority given by Jesus empowers believers to overcome these spiritual adversaries, aligning with the promise of victory inRomans 8:37. Nothing will harm you
This assurance of protection is both physical and spiritual. While believers may face trials and persecution, the ultimate harm—separation from God—is nullified through Christ's victory. This promise echoes the protection found inPsalm 91:10-11, where God commands His angels to guard His people. It also reflects the eternal security found inJohn 10:28, where Jesus assures that no one can snatch His followers from His hand. Persons / Places / Events 1. Jesus ChristThe speaker of this verse, Jesus is addressing His disciples, granting them authority over spiritual adversaries. 2. The DisciplesThe immediate audience of Jesus' words, they are empowered to carry out His mission with divine authority. 3. Snakes and ScorpionsSymbolic representations of evil and demonic forces that the disciples are given power over. 4. The EnemyRefers to Satan and his demonic forces, representing spiritual opposition to God's kingdom. 5. The MissionThe broader context of Jesus sending out the seventy-two disciples to preach the kingdom of God and perform miracles. Teaching Points Authority in ChristBelievers are endowed with spiritual authority through Jesus, enabling them to confront and overcome evil. Spiritual WarfareThe Christian life involves a battle against spiritual forces, requiring vigilance and reliance on God's power. Protection and AssuranceWhile believers face spiritual opposition, they are assured of God's protection and ultimate victory. Symbolism of Snakes and ScorpionsUnderstanding these symbols helps believers recognize and resist the subtle and overt attacks of the enemy. Faith and ObedienceExercising authority requires faith in Christ's promises and obedience to His commands. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Luke 10
Luke 10:19 – If authority over snakes and scorpions was literal, why isn’t there consistent historical evidence of Christians demonstrating this without harm?
Can you trample on snakes and scorpions safely?
What does having authority over Satan entail?
Ezekiel 2:6: Is there any archaeological or historical record linking scorpions or such imagery to the prophet’s experience or Israelite culture?(19) Behold, I give unto you . . .--The better MSS. have, "I have given," as of something already bestowed in its completeness. In the power to "tread on serpents and scorpions," we have a manifest reference to the words of Psalm 91:13. Those words stand in closest sequence with the promise which had been wrested from its true meaning by the Tempter in the great struggle in the wilderness; and it is not over-bold to think that they were connected with our Lord's memories of that time, and especially of the fact indicated by St. Mark's statement ( Mark 1:13) that He "was with the wild beasts." Now, through resistance to the Temptation, there had come the victory which if He had then yielded, never would have been won. Of a literal fulfilment of the words, St. Paul's escape from the viper at Melita ( Acts 28:3) is the only recorded instance; but the parallelism between this promise and that of Psalm 91:13 shows that the literal meaning falls into the background, that the serpent and the scorpion are symbols of spiritual powers of evil. A merely literal interpretation lands us in two serious difficulties: (1) that it represents the treading on serpents as a greater work than casting out demons; and (2) that it implies that serpents and scorpions, as such, are not part of God's creation, but belong to the power of the Evil One. So far as we think of a literal fulfilment at all, it can only be as the symbol and earnest of the spiritual. The real kernel of the promise lies in the last words, "Nothing shall by any means hurt you," and these find their interpretation in the thought that "nothing shall separate us from the love of God," and that "all things work together for good to those that love Him" ( Romans 8:39; Romans 8:28). . . . Verse 19. - Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. The older authorities read here, "I have given." The only recorded instance of a literal fulfilment of this promise was in the case of Paul at Melita, after the shipwreck ( Acts 24:3-5). A similar promise was made during the "forty days" ( Mark 16:17, 18). It seems however, best, in the case of this peculiar promise, to interpret the Lord's words as referring to spiritual powers of evil, taking the serpent and scorpion as symbols of these. It should be remembered that the subject of conversation between the Master and his servants was the conflict with and victory ever these awful powers restlessly hostile to the human race (see Psalm 91:13).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek See,ἰδοὺ(idou)Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400:See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!I have givenδέδωκα(dedōka)Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1325:To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.youὑμῖν(hymin)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.authorityἐξουσίαν(exousian)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849:From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.to treadπατεῖν(patein)Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3961:To tread, trample upon. From a derivative probably of paio; to trample.onἐπάνω(epanō)Preposition
Strong's 1883:From epi and ano; up above, i.e. Over or on.snakesὄφεων(opheōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3789:Probably from optanomai; a snake, figuratively, an artful malicious person, especially Satan.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.scorpions,σκορπίων(skorpiōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4651:A scorpion. Probably from an obsolete skerpo; a 'scorpion'.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.overἐπὶ(epi)Preposition
Strong's 1909:On, to, against, on the basis of, at.allπᾶσαν(pasan)Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.theτὴν(tēn)Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.powerδύναμιν(dynamin)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1411:From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power.of theτοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.enemy.ἐχθροῦ(echthrou)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2190:Hated, hostile; subst: an enemy. From a primary echtho; hateful; usually as a noun, an adversary.Nothingοὐδὲν(ouden)Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3762:No one, none, nothing.will harmἀδικήσῃ(adikēsē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 91:To act unjustly towards, injure, harm. From adikos; to be unjust, i.e. do wrong.you.ὑμᾶς(hymas)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
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NT Gospels: Luke 10:19 Behold I give you authority to tread (Luke Lu Lk) |
