And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus' command to take "nothing for your journey" isn't just about practicality; it's a radical call to utter dependence on God and the hospitality He would provide. By stripping them of all provisions, He was teaching them a profound lesson in faith, forcing them to trust that divine care would be their only sustenance and protection.
And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples on their first mission, commissioning them with authority over sickness and demons. Before they go, he gives them very specific instructions for their journey, emphasizing simplicity and complete reliance on God and the hospitality of others, setting the stage for their dependence on divine provision.
Why would Jesus send his disciples out with absolutely nothing? It seems counterintuitive, even reckless!
This isn't about poverty for poverty's sake. Jesus' command to 'take nothing' is a profound statement about radical reliance on God and His provision.
Faith in Action
If the disciples weren't to carry supplies, how were they expected to survive?
Jesus' instruction to go out with nothing points directly to the crucial role of hospitality within God's economy.
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c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus commissions the Twelve Apostles
Jesus sends out his 12 disciples on their first mission trip to preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick, giving them specific instructions on how to travel and minister.
c. AD 28
Jesus commissions the Seventy-Two
Later, Jesus gives similar instructions to a larger group of 72 disciples, indicating that this mode of simple, faith-reliant ministry was a recurring model.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
The disciples' mission occurs during Jesus' Galilean ministry, a period of intense teaching, healing, and growing opposition from religious authorities.
c. AD 30
Herod Antipas hears about Jesus
News of Jesus' growing fame and miracles reaches Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who fears Jesus might be John the Baptist risen from the dead.
This passage from Matthew directly parallels Luke's instruction, emphasizing the same radical reliance on God for provision by forbidding the disciples to carry money, a bag, or extra clothing.
Mark 6:8Mark's account, similar to Luke's, instructs the disciples to take 'nothing for their journey except a staff only,' highlighting the theme of minimal provision and dependence on divine providence.
1 Kings 17:9This Old Testament passage shows Elijah being sent to a widow in Zarephath, demonstrating God's provision through hospitality even when His prophet possessed nothing himself, mirroring the disciples' dependence on others.
Proverbs 3:5-6While not a narrative, this proverb speaks to the heart of Jesus' command, urging complete trust in the Lord and acknowledging Him in all ways, which is precisely what the disciples were called to do by taking nothing.
pulpitLuke 9:3: "And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece."
Verse 3. - Take nothing for your journey. Dr. Farrar well sums up the various directions of the Master to these his first missionaries: "The general spirit of the instructions merely is, 'Go forth in the simplest, humblest manner, with no hindrances to your movements, and in perfect faith;' and this, as history shows, has always been the metho…
ellicottLuke 9:3: "And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece."
(3) Neither staves. —The better MSS. give, “neither a staff.” The plural was probably adopted in order to bring the verse into harmony with Matthew 10:10 , and Mark 6:8 .
Jesus' command to take "nothing for your journey" isn't just about practicality; it's a radical call to utter dependence on God and the hospitality He would provide. By stripping them of all provisions, He was teaching them a profound lesson in faith, forcing them to trust that divine care would be their only sustenance and protection.
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples on their first mission, commissioning them with authority over sickness and demons. Before they go, he gives them very specific instructions for their journey, emphasizing simplicity and complete reliance on God and the hospitality of others, setting the stage for their dependence on divine provision.
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples on their first mission, commissioning them with authority over sickness and demons. Before they go, he gives them very specific instructions for their journey, emphasizing simplicity and complete reliance on God and the hospitality of others, setting the stage for their dependence on divine provision.
"And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics." — Jesus' command to take "nothing for your journey" isn't just about practicality; it's a radical call to utter dependence on God and the hospitality He would provide. By stripping them of all provisio…
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Last reviewed October 2026