Matthew 10:19-20
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Jesus isn't just promising divine inspiration for what to say, but also for how to say it. This is for ordinary, unlearned people facing intimidating authorities, assuring them that God's Spirit will guide both the content and the delivery in the precise moment they need it.
When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is commissioning his disciples for a mission, sending them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He's warning them that they will face opposition, rejection, and persecution from religious leaders and even authorities. This passage is part of Jesus equipping them for this challenging future, assuring them they won't be alone when they face hardship.
Ever find yourself rehearsing future conversations, worrying about what you'll say? Jesus tells us to let go of that anxious preparation.
When Jesus sent out the disciples, He knew they'd face intense opposition. They'd be dragged before authorities, forced to defend their faith. The instruction "do not be anxious how or what you are to say" (Matthew 10:19) isn't a casual suggestion; it's a directive against borrowing trouble. It means don't waste energy today worrying about the specific words you'll need for a future crisis. The word for 'anxious' (merimnao) speaks to being torn in different directions by worry. Jesus calls us to a unified trust, not a divided, anxious mind. This promise isn't about a lack of preparation, but about a reliance on divine prompting when the moment arrives.
When under pressure, your own words might fail. Jesus promises that God will provide exactly what you need to say, right when you need it.
The powerful assurance follows: "for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour." This isn't about recalling memorized speeches or witty retorts. It's a supernatural impartation of wisdom and words. Think of the apostles, often described as uneducated fishermen. When dragged before powerful religious and political leaders, they spoke with incredible boldness and clarity. This promise signifies direct divine intervention – the Holy Spirit would guide their speech. It's a reminder that in moments of testing, our reliance is not on our own eloquence or wit, but on the Spirit's immediate enablement. This help is specific to 'that hour,' meaning it's a grace for the trial itself, not a general supply for all future difficulties.
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Who is actually speaking when you're under trial? It's not just you; it's the very Spirit of your Heavenly Father.
The broader context of this teaching (found in parallel passages like Luke 12:11-12) clarifies the source of this inspired speech: "it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." This shifts the focus from individual performance to divine collaboration. The disciples' role was to be open vessels, and the Father's Spirit would be the true communicator. This emphasizes a profound truth: when God's people face opposition for their faith, they are not alone. Their words carry divine authority because they are enabled by the Spirit. This promise assures them that their testimony, even when challenged, is ultimately God's message being declared.
Understand the original words
merimnaō · Greek Verb
A feeling of unease, distress, or apprehension regarding future events; the Bible often commands against this in favor of trust in God’s sovereignty.
pneuma · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity, the divine agent of God who indwells believers, empowering them, guiding them into truth, and testifying of Jesus.
This promise wasn't just for the initial apostles; it's a profound assurance for all followers of Christ who face opposition, reminding them that God equips those He calls, especially when they stand for truth before challenging authorities.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Commissions the Twelve
Jesus sends out his twelve disciples, including Peter and John, to preach the Gospel, giving them authority and instructions, including the promise of divine guidance when they face persecution.
c. AD 33
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
Shortly after Jesus' ascension, Peter and John boldly preach in Jerusalem and are arrested. They are questioned by the Sanhedrin, but their fearless and wise answers (Acts 4:1-22) demonstrate the fulfillment of Jesus' promise.
c. AD 34
Stephen's Martyrdom
Stephen, one of the early deacons, powerfully testifies before the Sanhedrin, exhibiting remarkable wisdom and spirit that cannot be answered. His martyrdom marks the beginning of wider persecution.
c. AD 40s
Paul's Early Ministry and Persecutions
The Apostle Paul, initially a persecutor, begins his extensive missionary journeys. He repeatedly faces opposition, arrest, and trials before various authorities, requiring divine enablement to proclaim the gospel.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul, imprisoned in Rome, continues to preach and teach boldly, even to his guards and those who visit him. This period reflects a prolonged reliance on the Spirit's guidance in difficult circumstances.
This passage shares the same command not to worry about what to say when brought before authorities, directly paralleling Jesus' instruction in Matthew 10:19.
Acts 4:8Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, directly addresses the religious council, demonstrating the fulfillment of Jesus' promise that the Spirit would provide their words in a moment of trial.
Acts 13:9Paul, also filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks boldly to Elymas the sorcerer, illustrating how divine guidance enables believers to speak with authority and conviction when facing opposition.
1 Corinthians 2:10This passage explains that the Spirit searches all things, revealing God's wisdom to us, which connects to the idea that the words spoken in times of trial are not merely human thought but divine revelation.
Exodus 4:12God's promise to Moses, 'I will be with your mouth and teach you what to say,' echoes the principle that God equips and guides His messengers when they are called to speak on His behalf, even in intimidating circumstances.
vincentMatthew 10:19: "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."
Take no thought (μὴ μεριμνήσητε)Rev., Be not anxious. See on Matthew 6:25.In that hour (ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ)Very precise. "In that selfsame hour." Bengel remarks: "Even though not before. Many feel most strongly their spiritual power when the hour comes to impart it to others."
bensonMatthew 10:19: "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."
Matthew 10:19 . But take no thought how or what ye shall speak — When you are compelled to appear before such personages be not anxiously careful about your defence there, or how you shall answer for yourselves, but cheerfully confide in the divine direction, which shall certainly be given you, and shall be abundantly sufficient for you. The…
Jesus isn't just promising divine inspiration for what to say, but also for how to say it. This is for ordinary, unlearned people facing intimidating authorities, assuring them that God's Spirit will guide both the content and the delivery in the precise moment they need it.
Jesus is commissioning his disciples for a mission, sending them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He's warning them that they will face opposition, rejection, and persecution from religious leaders and even authorities. This passage is part of Jesus equipping them for this challenging future, assuring them they won't be alone when they face hardship.
Jesus is commissioning his disciples for a mission, sending them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He's warning them that they will face opposition, rejection, and persecution from religious leaders and even authorities. This passage is part of Jesus equipping them for this challenging future, assuring them they won't be alone when they face hardship.
"When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." — Jesus isn't just promising divine inspiration for what to say, but also for how to say it. This is for ordinary, unlearned people facing intimidating authorities, assuring them that God's Spirit…
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Last reviewed October 2026
