LUKE 12:7 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But even the hairs of your head have all been numbered. Do not fear: you are more valuable than many sparrows.

UST God even knows how many hairs there are on your head. Do not be afraid, because you are more valuable to God than many sparrows.

BSB [And even] the very hairs of your head are all numbered. [So] do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

MSB [And even] the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

BLB But even the hairs of your head all have been numbered. Fear not; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

AICNT But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. [[Therefore,]][fn] Do not fear; [[for]][fn] you are worth more than many sparrows.

12:7, therefore: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

12:7, for: Some manuscripts include. D(05)

OEB No, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

WEBBE But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

LSV but even the hairs of your head have all been numbered; therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.

FBV Even the hairs on your head have been counted. Don't be afraid—you're worth more than many sparrows!

TCNT Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. [fn]So do not be afraid; you are of [fn]more value than many sparrows.

12:7 So do ¦ Do CT

12:7 more value than many ¦ far more value than PCK

T4T You are worth more to God than many sparrows. So do not be afraid of what people can do to you! God even knows how many hairs there are on each of your heads, so that if you(sg) lose one hair, he knows about it. So nothing bad can happen to you without his knowing it.

LEB But even the hairs of your head are all numbered! Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

BBE But even the hairs of your head are numbered. Have no fear: you are of more value than a flock of sparrows.

Moff But the very hairs on your head are all numbered;
⇔ fear not, you are worth far more than sparrows.

Wymth But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. Away with fear: you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.'

ASV But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

DRA Yea, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

YLT but even the hairs of your head have been all numbered; therefore fear ye not, than many sparrows ye are of more value.

Drby But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are better than many sparrows.

RV But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: ye/you_all are of more value than many sparrows. )

SLT But also the hairs of your head were all numbered. Therefore fear not: ye have the preeminence over many little sparrows.

Wbstr But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

KJB-1769 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
( But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye/you_all are of more value than many sparrows. )

KJB-1611 But euen the very haires of your head are all numbred: Feare not therefore, ye are of more value then many sparrowes.
(But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered: Fear not therefore, ye/you_all are of more value then many sparrows.)

Bshps Also, eue the very heeres of your head are all numbred. Feare not therfore, ye are more of value the many sparrowes.
(Also, eve/even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, ye/you_all are more of value the many sparrows.)

Gnva Yea, and all the heares of your head are nombred: feare not therefore: yee are more of value then many sparowes.
(Yea, and all the heares of your head are numbered: fear not therefore: ye/you_all are more of value then many sparrows. )

Cvdl The very hayres of youre heade also are nombred euery one. Feare not therfore, for ye are better then many sparowes.
(The very hairs of your(pl) head also are numbered every one. Fear not therefore, for ye/you_all are better then many sparrows.)

TNT Also even the very heres of youre heedes are nombred. Feare not therfore: ye are moare of value then many sparowes.
(Also even the very heres of your(pl) heedes are numbered. Fear not therefore: ye/you_all are more of value then many sparrows. )

Wycl But also alle the heeris of youre heed ben noumbrid. Therfor nyle ye drede; ye ben of more prijs than many sparowis.
(But also all the hairs of your(pl) heed been numbered. Therefore won’t ye/you_all dread; ye/you_all been of more price than many sparrowis.)

Luth Auch sind die Haare auf eurem Haupte alle gezählet. Darum fürchtet euch nicht; denn ihr seid besser denn viel Sperlinge.
(Also are the hair on/in/to yours(pl) heade all counted. Therefore fears(v) you not; because/than you(pl)/their/her are better because/than many Sperlinge.)

ClVg sed et capilli capitis vestri omnes numerati sunt. Nolite ergo timere: multis passeribus pluris estis vos.[fn]
(but and hair of_the_head yours everyone numbered are. Don't therefore to_be_afraid: many sparrowibus pluris you_are you(pl). )

12.7 Sed et capilli. Non actu computationis, sed facultate cognitionis, a similitudine pecuniæ quæ numeratur ut servetur. Ubi magna providentia Dei, quod nec parva nec otiosa dicta eum lateant.

12.7 But and hair. Not/No actu computationis, but facultate knowledge, from likeness money which numeratur as keepur. Where big providence of_God, that but_not small but_not otiosa said/dictated him lateant.

UGNT ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται. μὴ φοβεῖσθε, πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε.
(alla kai hai triⱪes taʸs kefalaʸs humōn pasai aʸrithmaʸntai. maʸ fobeisthe, pollōn strouthiōn diaferete.)

SBL-GNT ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται· ⸀μὴ φοβεῖσθε· πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε.
(alla kai hai triⱪes taʸs kefalaʸs humōn pasai aʸrithmaʸntai; ⸀maʸ fobeisthe; pollōn strouthiōn diaferete.)

RP-GNT Ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται. Μὴ οὖν φοβεῖσθε· πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε.
(Alla kai hai triⱪes taʸs kefalaʸs humōn pasai aʸrithmaʸntai. Maʸ oun fobeisthe; pollōn strouthiōn diaferete.)

TC-GNT Ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται. Μὴ [fn]οὖν φοβεῖσθε· [fn]πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε.
(Alla kai hai triⱪes taʸs kefalaʸs humōn pasai aʸrithmaʸntai. Maʸ oun fobeisthe; pollōn strouthiōn diaferete. )

12:7 ουν ¦ — CT

12:7 πολλων ¦ πολλω PCK

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:1–12: Jesus warned and encouraged his disciples

In the previous section, Jesus criticized the Pharisees and teachers of the law. They responded by being hostile to him. Here in Section 12:1–12 a large crowd gathered around Jesus and his disciples. Jesus spoke first to his disciples. He warned them that they must not be hypocrites like the Pharisees. His disciples should not be afraid to declare that they were loyal to him. They should not fear people, but they should fear and respect God, and they should never insult the Holy Spirit. Jesus encouraged them to remember that they were valuable to God. He assured them that the Holy Spirit would help them when people persecuted them.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Another possible heading for this section is:

Warnings and Encouragements (NIV)

Some versions have divided this section into three shorter sections. Each section has one or more parallel passages. If you choose to divide this section, here are some examples of headings that you can use.

12:1–3	A Warning against Hypocrisy (GNT) -or- Jesus warned his disciples not to be like the Pharisees
	(There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 10:26–27.)

12:4–7	The One Whom People Should Fear -or- Jesus told his disciples whom they should fear
	(There is a parallel passage for this section in Matthew 10:28–31.)

12:8–12	Confessing and Rejecting Christ (GNT) -or- Don’t Be Ashamed of Jesus (NCV)
	(There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 10:32–33, 12:32, 10:19–20.)

12:7a

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

But as for you^(plur), even the hairs that grow on your head have all been counted.
However, he thinks about you^(plur) much more! He even knows the number of hairs on your head.

And even: The two Greek conjunctions that the BSB translates as And even introduce a contrast between the way God cares for sparrows and the way he cares for the disciples. God remembers each sparrow. But he cares much more for each of Jesus’ disciples. He even knows the number of hairs on each of their heads. Consider how to express this contrast in a natural way in your language. Some ways to do this in English are:

But as for you, God even knows how many hairs…

And certainly God remembers you far more. Even your hairs…

the very hairs of your head are all numbered: In this context the clause the very hairs of your head are all numbered indicates that God knows exactly how many hairs are on your head. It does not mean that God actually counts the hairs. For example:

But God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. (NCV)

12:7b

So do not be afraid;

So do^(plur) not be afraid of what may happen to you.

So do not be afraid: In this context Jesus used the phrase do not be afraid to reassure his disciples that God was taking care of them. The phrase implies that they should not be afraid of men or of what might happen to them in the future. However, they must still fear God, as Jesus said in 12:5c. In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit what the disciples should not be afraid of. For example:

So do not be afraid of what may happen to you here in this world

12:7c

you are worth more than many sparrows.

You^(plur) are more precious/valuable to God than many sparrows.”
Because God considers that you^(plur) are more important than many small birds.”

you are worth more than many sparrows: In this context the phrase worth more means “more precious” or “more valuable” or “more important.” It does not refer to monetary value. Jesus implied that since God cares for each little bird, he cares much more for each person.

In some languages it may be helpful to make clear here that Jesus was referring to people’s worth or importance to God. For example:

you are worth more to God than many sparrows

God considers you to be more important than many small birds

General Comment on 12:7a–c

In some languages it may be helpful to change the order of the parts of this verse to help people understand the connections. For example:

^7cAnd you are worth more than many sparrows. ^7bSo do not be afraid. ^7aGod knows/cares about every hair on your head.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά καί αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πάσαι ἠρίθμηνται Μή φοβεῖσθε πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form, and you could state who has done the action. Alternate translation: [God has even counted all the hairs on your head]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται

Jesus is using one small part of a person, the hairs on the head, to indicate the entire person. Alternate translation: [God is aware of everything about you, right down to the smallest detail]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / you

τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν

˱of˲_the head ˱of˲_you_all

Although head is singular because Jesus is describing an individual situation, your is plural because he is speaking to his disciples as a group.

πᾶσαι ἠρίθμηνται

The word numbered can also mean “counted.” Jesus is not necessarily saying that God has assigned a number to each individual hair on a person’s head. Alternate translation: [have all been counted]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μὴ φοβεῖσθε, πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε

The implication is that if God is aware of and concerned for sparrows, which are of less value, then God is certainly aware of and concerned for people, who are of greater value. And so followers of Jesus do not need to be afraid, since God is watching over them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [You are more valuable than many sparrows, so God is certainly even more aware of you and concerned for you, and so you do not need to be afraid]

Parallel LUKE 12:7

Section 12:1–12: Jesus warned and encouraged his disciples

12:7a

12:7b

12:7c

General Comment on 12:7a–c