Luke 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.
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 22
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
πρὸς
unto
G4314
πρὸς
unto
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
3 of 22
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
αὐτούς
them
G846
αὐτούς
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
4 of 22
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
αἴρετε
Take
G142
αἴρετε
Take
Strong's:
G142
Word #:
6 of 22
to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e., weigh
εἰς
for
G1519
εἰς
for
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
7 of 22
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
8 of 22
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὁδόν
your journey
G3598
ὁδόν
your journey
Strong's:
G3598
Word #:
9 of 22
a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means
μήτε
neither
G3383
μήτε
neither
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
10 of 22
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
ῥάβδους,
staves
G4464
ῥάβδους,
staves
Strong's:
G4464
Word #:
11 of 22
a stick or wand (as a cudgel, a cane or a baton of royalty)
μήτε
neither
G3383
μήτε
neither
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
12 of 22
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
μήτε
neither
G3383
μήτε
neither
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
14 of 22
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
μήτε
neither
G3383
μήτε
neither
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
16 of 22
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
ἀργύριον
money
G694
ἀργύριον
money
Strong's:
G694
Word #:
17 of 22
silvery, i.e., (by implication) cash; specially, a silverling (i.e., drachma or shekel)
μήτε
neither
G3383
μήτε
neither
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
18 of 22
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
Cross References
Luke 22:35And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.Psalms 37:3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.2 Timothy 2:4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.Luke 3:11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.Luke 12:22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Historical Context
In first-century Palestine, travelers typically carried a staff for protection, a leather bag for provisions, bread, money (copper coins), and an extra tunic. Jewish custom permitted travelers to carry these essentials. Jesus's prohibition would have seemed shocking—sending His disciples out deliberately vulnerable and dependent on hospitality.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'provisions' do you rely on instead of trusting God's moment-by-moment provision?
- How does Jesus's later permission to carry provisions (Luke 22:35-36) inform our understanding of faith versus presumption?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Take nothing for your journey (μηδὲν αἴρετε)—Jesus commands radical dependence on God's provision. The prohibition is comprehensive: neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats. The Greek construction with repeated mēde (nor) emphasizes absolute trust in divine provision rather than human preparation.
This mission training deliberately stripped the Twelve of self-sufficiency. Unlike Matthew 10:10 which allows a staff, Luke's account (like Mark 6:8) is stricter—no staff, no traveler's bag (pēra), no provisions, no money, not even a spare tunic. The message: God's servants must trust His provision through those who receive His Word. This anticipates Luke 22:35-36, where Jesus later permits provisions, showing the temporary nature of this training exercise in radical faith.