When Jesus warns his disciples that things are about to get rough—meaning he is about to be arrested and crucified—he tells them in Luke 22:36-38, that “if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” The disciples take him literally and say, “here are two swords,” and Jesus tells them “that’s enough.”

Shortly after this, however, there is a plot twist; when the high priest arrives to arrest Jesus, Peter takes out his sword and cuts off the ear of the priest’s servant. Jesus doesn’t congratulate him on his swordplay. Instead, he heals the ear and says “No more of this!” (22:47-53). In a parallel telling of the story, Jesus tells him, “Put your sword back in its place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matt. 26:52).

So which is it? Does he want the disciples to defend themselves with swords (guns, for the modern Christian) or not?