Confirmation bias is present in the prophecy of the Oracle of Delphi in response to the Greek Croesus, King of Lydia, rich from the gold at Sardus (mentioned in the book of Revelation in the Bible as one of the seven churches of ancient times).

Croesus, King of Lydia, wanted to know if he should go to war against Persia under Cyrus the Great (conqueror of Babylon, the morning after Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall). The Oracle of Delphi told Croesus that "if he went to war, a great empire would be destroyed". Like many humans, Croesus heard what he wanted to hear. He went to war, and his great empire was destroyed (as well as himself). Herodotus.

The ancient Greek word " Κροῖσος" ≈ "Croesus".

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In the Star Wars series of movies, at one point, Darth Sidious (the evil leader) tells Neimoidian Nute Gunray (Viceroy of the Trade Federation) that "When my new apprentice, Darth Vader, arrives, he will take care of you", in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. They feel comforted. But when Darth Vader gets there, he wipes them out.

This adds new meaning when neighbors ask you to "take care of their cat" while they are away. [Darth Kitious]

Trust the force. The empire will take care of you. Appropriate response about privacy intrusion in the guise of security: I have nothing to hide from those I trust. A related idea is "taking care of business".

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows

Might this change the meaning of "God will take care of you"? Is that "reward" good or bad? What is a "just reward"? What is "recompense"? Do you get "stressed" thinking about just "desserts"?

Details are left as a future topic.

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows

Growing up, the siblings would often leave the last cookie, piece of cake, etc., not eaten (which annoyed mom).
So, if we were asked "Did you eat all of the cookies?" we could say, "No, I did not have one of them". If pressed, we could point to the "one" cookie that we did not have.

There are two general forms of the "one cookie rule" where the exceptions are important.

• "not one cookie ..." (negative statement)
• "one cookie ..." (positive statement)

In general, this is called an "equivocation" in that it could deceive the listener. Equivocations can be used to hide double meanings as in a code or secret code.

Equivocations can be used as jokes which some people like and some do not.

More: Equivocation deception between names and meanings

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six. Yogi Berra (American professional baseball player and manager)

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Here then is a paraphrase that fits the specific context of the verse and the general idea of birds being the of the evil one.

The "one cookie rule" can be applied here.
Paraphrase: All the sparrows (of the evil one) who sell themselves (or others) out for earthly gain will fall on that earthly ground because they are without God the Father.

Discuss: Provide instances of people (as sparrows) selling themselves (or others) out for money? This could be influence peddling, pay for play, etc.

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows

Some say:

• The birds are so pretty (appearance).
• The birds sound so nice (sales pitch).
• The birds make me feel so good.

Have you ever watched a bird clean out your blueberry bush of every blueberry ready to be picked?

Reword those thoughts.

• The false teachers are so pretty (appearance).
• The false teachers sound so nice (sales pitch).
• The false teachers make me feel so good (no worries).

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows

A double negative, translated as "no wise", is used in Greek to be an emphatic negative as in "absolutely no way".

• "ου" ≈ "no" and "μη" ≈ "not".
• "ου μη" ≈ "no not" and appears in 137 verses in the GNT (Greek New Testament).

Using the "one cookie rule", the emphatic not "one" "jot" and not "one" "tittle" shall "pass by" means the following.

• All the "jots" and all the "tittles" shall "pass by" (since they are man's additions to God's law).

More: Do not no way use double negatives

More: Matthew 5:17-18 The true reality of jots and tittles

Why might a "great one of the earth" sell everything, but not himself, to obtain "one" pearl? Are not "many" pearls needed. That is, at least two pearls, needed? If everything is sold to buy one pearl, which pearls are thus not obtained?

Obtaining only one pearl is like having one link in a chain.
Might the two most important laws identified by Jesus be two "pearls". Both are needed. What happens if one obtains only one of these "pearls"?

More: Matthew 13: Sixth kingdom parable: pearl of great price