Luke 12:6 · Bible study
Luke 12:6 Commentary: Sparrows, Value, and Fear Not
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Luke 12:6: how Jesus uses five cheap sparrows to show God's intimate care, grounding his command not to fear human threats. Commentary and study notes.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus uses cheap sparrows to show God's intimate care, grounding his command not to fear.
- Key words: assarion (coin), sparrows (cheap commodity), forgotten (perfect passive, state of being overlooked).
- Main debate: Minimal; Christians agree on God's providential care for all creation.
- Theological theme: God's providence over creation and his special care for believers.
- Best use: Comfort in fear of persecution; call to bold witness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God.
KJV King James Version 1769
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Are not five sparrows sold for two pence? and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Are not five sparrows sold for two assars? and one of them is not forgotten before God,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Are not five sparrows sold for two assaria? and one of them is not forgotten before God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ No se venden cinco pajarillos por dos blancas? pues ni uno de ellos está olvidado delante de Dios.
Não se vendem cinco passarinhos por duas pequenas moedas? E nem um deles está esquecido diante de Deus.
Ne vend-on pas cinq passereaux pour deux sous? Cependant, aucun d’ eux n’ est oublié devant Dieu.
Verkauft man nicht fünf Sperlinge um zwei Pfennige? Dennoch ist vor Gott deren nicht eines vergessen.
Worden niet vijf musjes verkocht voor twee penningskens? En niet een van die is voor God vergeten.
Cinque passeri non si vendon per due soldi? Eppure non uno d’essi è dimenticato dinanzi a Dio;
Izali pięciu wróblików nie sprzedają za dwa pieniążki? Wszakże jeden z nich nie jest w zapamiętaniu przed obliczem Bożem.
Не пять ли малых птиц продаются за два ассария? и ни одна из них не забыта у Бога.
五個 麻雀 不是 賣 二分 銀子嗎？但在 神 面前，一個 也不 忘記；
Are not five sparrows given in exchange for two farthings? and God has every one of them in mind.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 12:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the sparrow's low market value drives Jesus' point. Adam Clarke notes that five sparrows for two assaria coins means a discount, one bird is essentially thrown in. The Cambridge Bible adds that this 'unvalued odd one' is still 'not forgotten before God.' Gill expands: God's providence reaches to the smallest creatures; a sparrow cannot be harmed without his knowledge. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown point out that Jesus says 'more value than many sparrows', not 'than millions', and the power of his teaching lies in this simplicity. Matthew Henry sets the verse in the context of fear: if God notes even the sparrow, his disciples need not fear those who can only kill the body. So the consensus is clear: the sparrow's cheapness highlights God's costly attention. Every commentator sees this as a comfort for believers facing persecution.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God remembers and cares for every sparrow, and even more so for his people who trust in him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'forgotten before God' | Christians agree that God is aware of every sparrow; they are never out of his mind or care. | Some traditions stress that God's knowledge includes active sovereignty over each sparrow's death (Matthew 10:29). Others emphasize his general providential care without specifying how it operates in every case. |
| The pricing nuance (five for two vs. two for one) | All note that the pricing shows sparrows are nearly worthless, making God's care more striking. | No significant debate; commentators like Clarke and the Cambridge Bible simply note the bargain price. |
| The relation to fear of God and fear of man | The sparrow illustration supports the command to fear God rather than human threats. | Some see the 'fear of God' in v.5 as reverential awe that drives out lesser fears; others see it as a literal fear of judgment. Both readings accept the sparrow as a comfort. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse is part of Jesus' discourse to his disciples (Luke 12:1, 12). He warns against hypocrisy (v.1), then turns to fear: do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot harm the soul (v.4, 5). Instead, fear God, who holds eternal destiny (v.5). Verse 6 sits in between. Sparrows were the cheapest protein in the market. The Cambridge Bible explains that such birds were sold 'strung together, or on skewers.' The assarion was a small Roman coin, worth about a tenth of a drachma. In Matthew 10:29, two sparrows cost one assarion; here five cost two assaria. As Adam Clarke notes, that means a buyer gets a bonus, the fifth sparrow is practically free. This detail amplifies the point: even the bird with no commercial value is not forgotten by God.
The word 'forgotten' (ἐπιλελησμένον) is a perfect passive participle, a state of forgetfulness that has set in. But it is negated: no such state exists for any sparrow before God. The phrase 'before God' (ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ) carries a sense of being in his sight, under his watch. The cross-reference from Psalm 113:6 says God 'stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth.' This is not a distant deity but one who bends low to notice the small. The historical situation for the first hearers: they faced persecution from religious authorities and possibly Roman officials. Jesus uses a common, everyday object, a market sparrow, to ground a radical call to fearless confession. The disciples are worth more than many sparrows (v.7). The argument moves from the lesser to the greater: if God cares for the sparrow, how much more for you.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Luke 12:6. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts.
Reception History
From the early church onward, Luke 12:6 has been a touchstone for divine providence. Tertullian cited it to encourage Christians facing martyrdom. During the Reformation, both Calvin and Luther drew on it to argue that God's care extends to every detail of life. In modern times, it appears in many devotional works as a remedy for anxiety. It is often sung in hymns about God's watchful care.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Lowly Sparrow: Cheap in the market, priceless in God's sight.
- The Forgetful Fear: We fear human threats, but God does not forget even the sparrow.
- The Greater Value: If God remembers sparrows, his children are worth more.
Five-point outline
- The context of persecution (vv.4, 5).
- The illustration of the sparrows (v.6).
- The assurance of God's knowledge (v.7a, hairs numbered).
- The command: fear not (v.7b).
- The call to confession (vv.8, 9).
Illustration hooks
- When you learn that a small bird like a sparrow has little value in the marketplace, think of the things you consider worthless about your own life, your time, your talents, your fears. God remembers every detail.
- A receipt for two assaria coins, the cost of five sparrows. That receipt would be tossed away. Yet in God's ledger, each sparrow is accounted for. Your life is no loose receipt.
- Think of a time you felt overlooked, a meeting where you were invisible, a hospital room where no one noticed you. Jesus says even the odd sparrow out is not forgotten.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God remembers sparrows, why do I still suffer?
- Does this mean I am more valuable than other people?
- How do I actually stop fearing what others can do to me?
Leading a Discussion
Jesus uses the cheapest bird in the market to make a big point about God's care. This small-group guide helps you connect his illustration to your own fears.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the pricing, five sparrows for two coins?
- Why do you think Jesus mentions the sparrow right after talking about fear?
- What does it mean that a sparrow is 'forgotten before God'? How is forgetting different from being unknown?
- How does the cross-reference from Psalm 113:5, 6 (God stooping down to see) add to what Jesus is saying?
- Jesus says you are worth more than 'many sparrows.' What kind of comfort does that offer when you are afraid of someone?
- How does this verse connect to the command in Luke 12:4 to not fear those who kill the body?
- Think of one area where you are afraid right now. How might this verse change the way you approach it?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 50:10 | For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. |
| Psalms 50:11 | I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. |
| Psalms 113:5 | Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high, |
| Psalms 113:6 | who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth? |
| Psalms 145:15 | The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season. |
| Psalms 145:16 | You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing. |
| Psalms 147:9 | He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call. |
| Matthew 10:29 | “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes a small but telling economic detail: two sparrows cost one farthing, but five cost only two farthings. The buyer gets a better deal on the larger purchase, which underscores how little value even five sparrows held in the market.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes grounds Jesus' image of proclamation from the housetops in a known Eastern custom. He cites a firsthand account of local governors still having their commands announced by a crier who climbs the highest roof and calls out in a set form, making the metaphor vivid and concrete.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that Luke's pricing of five sparrows for two farthings, while Matthew lists two for one, suggests the fifth bird was thrown in as worthless. Yet even that unvalued extra sparrow was not forgotten before God, making the point about divine care all the more forceful.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the extreme cheapness of sparrows, five sold for a pittance, to stress that even the lowest creature is never overlooked by God. This comparison magnifies God's intimate care: if He notices a sparrow worth almost nothing, He certainly watches over His people.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that even the cheapest sparrows, sold in bulk for next to nothing, are never forgotten by God. His point is that divine providence covers the smallest, most insignificant creatures, and how much more does it extend to human beings, especially God's own children.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent offers no fresh explanation here; instead he cross-references his own notes on Matthew 10:29 for the meaning of both sparrows and their fall. His distinctive contribution is simply to point the reader to that fuller treatment, treating the two passages as parallel.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads this verse as a call to balance fear with trust. If God cares for tiny sparrows, worth almost nothing, believers have even more reason to trust His care, not just to fear Him. The point is that reverence and confidence belong together.