John Calvin Commentary Luke 21:19

"In your patience ye shall win your souls." — Luke 21:19 (ASV)

In your patience. Here Christ enjoins on his followers a different method of defending their life from what is dictated by carnal reason. For naturally, everyone desires to place their life in safety; we gather from all directions those aids which we think will be best, and avoid all danger. In short, we do not think that we are alive if we are not properly defended. But Christ prescribes to us this defense of our life: that we should always be exposed to death and walk through fire, and water, and sword (Psalms 66:12).

And, indeed, no one will commit their soul into the hands of God properly, unless they have learned to live from day to day constantly prepared to die.¹³² In a word, Christ orders us to possess our life both under the cross and amidst the constant terrors of death.

¹³² “Sinon qu’estant tousjours prest a mourir, il ait apprins de vivre comme le jour vient, sans faire son conte de demeurer jusques au lendemain;” — “except that, being always ready to die, he has learned to live, as the day comes, without reckoning on being alive till tomorrow.”;” — “except that, being always ready to die, he has learned to live, as the day comes, without reckoning on being alive till tomorrow.”