{Buy a sword} (agorasat(9320)machairan). This is for defence
clearly. The reference is to the special mission in Galilee ( Lu
9:1-6  Mr 6:6-13  Mt 9:35-11:1 ). They are to expect persecution
and bitter hostility ( Joh 15:18-21 ). Jesus does not mean that
his disciples are to repel force by force, but that they are to
be ready to defend his cause against attack. Changed conditions
bring changed needs. This language can be misunderstood as it was
then.