Matthew 10:20 Meaning and Explanation
“For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →It is not the disciples who speak in that hour, but the Spirit of their Father speaking through them.
What Does Matthew 10:20 Mean?
Jesus gives the ground of the promise just made. The words supplied in the hour of trial are not the disciples' own; it is the Spirit of the Father speaking in them. The witness on trial becomes the vessel through which God himself testifies.
Here is comfort beyond any human eloquence. The Father does not stand at a distance from his suffering children but draws so near as to speak through their lips. To call the Spirit by the name of the Father underscores the intimacy: the one who sends is the one who sustains. The disciple need not be eloquent, only yielded, for the voice that answers the accusers is God's own.
Matthew 10:20 in the Original Language
pneuma (πνεῦμα), 'Spirit' -- the breath or wind of God, here the living presence that speaks within the witness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 10:20
What does Matthew 10:20 mean?
It is not the disciples who speak in that hour, but the Spirit of their Father speaking through them.