Luke 10:19

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"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Luke 10:19 (NKJV)

"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."

Luke 10:19 (NIV)

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Luke 10:19 (KJV)

"Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you."

Luke 10:19 (NLT)

"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

Luke 10:19 (ESV)

"Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you."

Luke 10:19 (AMP)

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

"I've given you true authority. You'll find yourselves dealing with snakes and scorpions who wish you nothing but harm, and you'll come out better than fine. Nothing can touch you."

Luke 10:19 (MSG)

Scripture quotations from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.

New Covenant Meaning

Authority Over All the Power of the Enemy

Jesus says "over all the power of the enemy." Not most of it. Not some of it. All of it. The word for power here is dunamis: the inherent ability, the force, the strength. And Jesus gives the disciples authority (exousia: legal authority, the right to act) that is greater than all of the enemy's dunamis. This means no demonic force, spiritual pressure, or attack from the enemy falls outside the scope of the authority Jesus has given to His disciples. In the New Covenant, this authority belongs to every believer in Christ.

The Given Authority Is Past Tense

Jesus says "I have given you authority" (perfect tense: completed action with ongoing results). This is not a future authority or a conditional authority. It was given and it stands. The authority the disciples exercised when they returned from their mission (v. 17: "even the demons are subject to us in Your name") was real, and Jesus confirms it with this statement. For the New Covenant believer, this authority was confirmed through the cross and resurrection and transferred to the church in Jesus' commission (Matthew 28:18-19: "all authority has been given to Me... go therefore").

The serpents and scorpions are symbolic language drawn from Deuteronomy 8:15, where they represent lethal dangers in the wilderness. In Luke 10:19, they represent the hostile spiritual forces of the enemy. Jesus is not primarily making a promise about literal snake-handling. He is declaring that the disciples have been given authority over the full range of the enemy's hostile power. Psalm 91:13 uses the same imagery. The promise is comprehensive spiritual protection and authority.

Application for Your Life

You Have Been Given Authority. Use It.

The failure of many believers is not a lack of authority. It is not using the authority they have been given. Luke 10:19 says Jesus gave you authority over all the power of the enemy. That authority does not automatically exercise itself. You exercise it through prayer, through spoken declaration, through standing on the Word, and through resisting the enemy in faith (James 4:7). The disciples rejoiced because the demons were subject to them. But they had to actually engage and command. So do you.

Nothing Shall By Any Means Hurt You

The closing promise of Luke 10:19 is often overlooked: "nothing shall by any means hurt you." This is not a promise of physical invincibility in all circumstances. It is a promise of covenant protection: the enemy's agenda against you, his attempts to destroy what God has placed in your life, cannot ultimately succeed against a believer who is walking in the authority of Jesus' name. He has no authority over you that you do not permit. The authority is yours.

Prayer Based on This Verse

Father, I receive the authority Jesus has given me in Luke 10:19. He has given me authority over all the power of the enemy. Not some of it. All of it. I exercise that authority today against every attack, every accusation, every oppression, and every scheme launched against my life, my family, my health, and my calling. I trample on the works of the enemy in Jesus' name. Nothing shall by any means hurt me. Not because I am impressive but because He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. I stand in the authority of the One who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. In Jesus' name. Amen.