Matthew 10:29

Matthew 10:29

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

a. NLT: What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.

b. NIV: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.

c. YLT: 'Are not two sparrows sold for an assar? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father;

d. Amplified Bible: Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.

e. Worrell Translation: Are not two sparrowssold for a tharthing? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.

1.  “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?...”

a. are…sold [4453 * poleo] [Strong: probably ultimately from pelomai (to be busy, to trade); to barter (as a pedlar), i.e. to sell:--sell, whatever is sold.]

b. not [3780 * ouchi] [Strong: intensive of 3756; not indeed:--nay, not.]

c. two [1417 * duo] [Strong: a primary numeral; "two":--both, twain, two.]

d. sparrows [4765 * strouthion] [Strong: diminutive of strouthos (a sparrow); a little sparrow:--sparrow.]

1). Vincent Word Study: The word is a diminutive, little sparrows, and carries with it a touch of tenderness. At the present day, in the markets of Jerusalem and Jaffa, long strings of little birds, sparrows and larks, are offered for sale, trussed on long wooden skewers. Edersheim thinks that Jesus may have had reference to the two sparrows which, according to the Rabbins, were used in the ceremonial of purification from leprosy Leviticus 14:49-54.

e. farthing [787 * assarion] [Strong: of Latin origin; an assarius or as, a Roman coin:--farthing.]

1). In Luke 12:6 five sparrows go for two farthings. The point he is making here is that they are very cheap to buy.

2. “…and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. one [1520 * heis] [Strong:  a primary numeral; one:--a(-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.]

c. of [1537 * ek] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]

d. them [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

e. shall...fall [4098 * pipto] [Strong: a reduplicated and contracted form of peto pet'-o; (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); probably akin to 4072 through the idea of alighting; to fall (literally or figuratively):--fail, fall (down), light on.]

f. not [3756 * ou] [Strong:  the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

g. on [1909 * epi] [Strong: a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

h. the ground [1093 * ge] [Strong: contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):--country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world.]

i. without [427 * aneu] [Strong: a primary particle; without:--without.]

j. your [5216 * humon] [Strong: genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]

k. Father [3962 * pater] [Strong: apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.]

1). Jesus is saying here that although these little birds are sold very cheap in the market, in the realm of nature, the animal kingdom, not one of them can die without God knowing about it. The unimaginable vastness of wisdom that God invested into His creation is too much to even touch on here, at least for now, but the point here is that God is aware of everything happening in creation including the animals of the creation. For more on the wisdom of  creation see blog and notes on Romans 8:21.