21:18

not even a hair of your heads will perish: By using hyperbole, Jesus left no doubt that his followers would be protected despite being “hated by all people.” (Lu 21:17) The context indicates that Jesus refers primarily to protection from spiritual or eternal harm rather than to protection from all physical harm. (Lu 21:16) Therefore, Jesus’ disciples do not expect to be miraculously delivered from abuse or even death. But they can be confident in Jehovah’s power to resurrect them from the dead. (Mt 10:39) The use of two Greek negatives with the verb in this verse emphatically expresses the certainty of Jesus’ promise. A similar meaning is conveyed by Jesus’ words to his disciples regarding God’s care for them: “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.”​—Lu 12:7; see study note on Mt 10:30.