English · KJV

Luke 21

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

The Widow's Offering 1–4

1
And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2
And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. ​
3
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: ​
4
For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. ​

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold 5–7

5
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, ​
6
As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ​
7
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? ​

Signs and Persecution 8–19

8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. ​
9
But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. ​
10
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. ​
12
But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. ​
13
And it shall turn to you for a testimony. ​
14
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: ​
15
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. ​
17
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18
But there shall not an hair of your head perish. ​
19
In your patience possess ye your souls. ​

The Siege of Jerusalem 20–24

20
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. ​
21
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. ​
22
For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ​
23
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. ​

The Coming of the Son of Man 25–28

25
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; ​
26
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ​
28
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ​

Watchfulness and Readiness 29–36

29
And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; ​
30
When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31
So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. ​
33
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. ​
34
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. ​
35
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. ​

Jesus' Final Ministry Days 37–38

37
And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. ​
38
And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 21

Verse 2

two mites — Lepton, a very small, light coin; Mark adds 'which make a farthing' (Mark 12:42). Luke calls her 'poor' with penichros, the needy, and uses a different word, ptochos, in v.3.

Verse 3

more than they all — The reckoning is by what is kept back, not by what is given. The rule is stated in 2 Cor 8:12: 'it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.' Ptochos (v.3) is the destitute, one without means.

Verse 4

of her penury — Hysterema, a deficit or lack, set against 'abundance' (perisseuo, to overflow). 'All the living' is bios, means of livelihood, as in Luke 8:43, 'spent all her living upon physicians'. The rich gave out of surplus; she gave her support.

Verse 5

goodly stones and gifts — 'Gifts' is anathema, votive offerings dedicated to God and set up in the temple. 'Temple' is hieron, the whole sacred precinct. Mark 13:1 gives the remark: 'Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!'

Verse 6

not be left one stone upon another — Mark 13:2 has the same words; Matt 24:2 adds 'here'. 'Thrown down' is kataluo, to loosen down, to demolish. Luke 19:43 already foretold the siege: enemies 'shall cast a trench about thee'; vv.20–24 describe its coming.

Verse 7

what sign — 'Master' is didaskalos, teacher. The question asks for time and sign, as in Mark 13:4. Christ gives warnings first (vv.8–19), then the sign itself in v.20; of the times he says elsewhere, 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons' (Acts 1:7).

Verse 8

Take heed that ye be not deceived — Planao, to cause to wander from the way. The deceivers come 'in my name', claiming his title, 'I am Christ', and add 'the time draweth near' (kairos, the set time). The disciples are not to go opiso, behind, after them; Matt 24:5 has the same warning of many coming 'in my name'.

Verse 9

commotions — Akatastasia, instability, disorder, tumult. 'Must' is dei, it is necessary: such things are part of the appointed course, yet 'the end is not by and by' (eutheos, immediately). Matt 24:8 calls them 'the beginning of sorrows'.

Verse 11

fearful sights — One Greek word, phobetron, a terrifying portent. 'Pestilences' is loimos, plague, and the earthquakes, famines and pestilences fall 'in divers places'. The signs 'from heaven' look forward to the signs in sun, moon and stars of v.25.

Verse 12

But before all these — The persecution comes first. 'Delivering you up' is paradidomi; the 'kings and rulers' (hegemon, governors) before whom they stand 'for my name's sake' recall the seizures of Acts, such as 'he killed James the brother of John with the sword' (Acts 12:2).

Verse 13

turn to you for a testimony — Martyrion, evidence given, the root of 'martyr'. Being brought before rulers becomes the occasion for bearing witness. Paul says the same of his bonds: 'the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel' (Phil 1:12).

Verse 14

not to meditate before — Promeletao, to premeditate; 'answer' is apologeomai, to make a defence. The disciples need not rehearse, for 'the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say' (Luke 12:12).

Verse 16

betrayed both by parents — Paradidomi, the same verb as 'delivering you up' in v.12. The four named groups, parents, brethren, 'kinsfolks' (syngenes) and friends, cover every near tie. Luke 12:53 had foretold households divided; Mic 7:6 speaks of a man's enemies in his own house.

Verse 18

not an hair of your head perish — A strong double negative (ou me), set beside 'some of you shall they cause to be put to death' (v.16). The promise reaches beyond the body: 'even the very hairs of your head are all numbered' (Luke 12:7).

Verse 19

possess ye your souls — Hypomone, cheerful, hopeful endurance; ktaomai, to acquire, gain. Endurance is the way the life is secured: 'he that endureth to the end shall be saved' (Matt 10:22); 'ye have need of patience' (Heb 10:36).

Verse 20

compassed with armies — Kykloo, to encircle; 'armies' is stratopedon, a camp or body of troops; 'desolation' is eremosis, laying waste. Luke 19:43 had said the enemies 'compass thee round'. Matthew and Mark give the sign as 'the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet' (Matt 24:15).

Verse 21

flee to the mountains — Flight is commanded for Judaea, for those 'in the midst of it' (Jerusalem), and for those in the chora, the open country, who must not enter. Jer 6:1 gave the older warning, 'gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem'; compare Luke 17:31.

Verse 22

days of vengeance — Ekdikesis, vindication, retribution. 'All things which are written' points to the prophets: 'it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance' (Isa 34:8); 'The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come' (Hos 9:7).

Verse 24

trodden down of the Gentiles — Pateo, to trample; 'edge' is literally 'mouth' (stoma) of the sword. The treading has a limit, 'the times of the Gentiles' (kairoi, appointed seasons); compare Rev 11:2, 'the holy city shall they tread under foot', and Rom 11:25.

Verse 25

signs in the sun — The scene widens from Jerusalem to the nations: 'distress' is synoche, anguish, and 'perplexity' aporia, being at a loss. The signs recall Joel 2:31: 'The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.'

Verse 27

the Son of man coming in a cloud — The title and the cloud come from Dan 7:13: 'one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven'. Rev 1:7 echoes it: 'Behold, he cometh with clouds'. 'Power' is dynamis and 'glory' doxa.

Verse 28

your redemption draweth nigh — Apolytrosis, ransom in full, release. 'Look up' is anakypto, to straighten up, the opposite of the fainting hearts of v.26. Paul uses the same word for 'the day of redemption' (Eph 4:30) to which believers are sealed.

Verse 29

the fig tree, and all the trees — Parabole, a comparison drawn from nature. Matthew and Mark name only the fig tree (Matt 24:32; Mark 13:28); Luke adds 'all the trees'. As the leaves show summer near, so the signs show the kingdom near (v.31).

Verse 32

This generation — Genea. Jesus uses the word of his hearers' own age: 'All these things shall come upon this generation' (Matt 23:36; Luke 11:50–51). Many apply it to the generation that saw Jerusalem fall; others read 'generation' as the whole race, until all is fulfilled.

Verse 33

my words shall not pass away — Parerchomai, the same verb as 'pass away' in v.32, with a strong double negative (ou me). Christ claims for his words what Isa 40:8 says of God's: 'the word of our God shall stand for ever'. Matt 24:35 and Mark 13:31 repeat it.

Verse 34

overcharged — Barunao, to weigh down. 'Surfeiting' is kraipale, the headache and glut of drink; 'cares of this life' is merimna biotikos, worry over livelihood. 'Unawares' is aiphnidios, suddenly. Luke 12:45–46 shows the servant who drinks while his lord delays.

Verse 36

Watch ye therefore, and pray always — Agrypneo, to be sleepless, keep awake. 'Accounted worthy' is kataxioo, deemed deserving, to 'escape' (ekpheugo) and 'stand before the Son of man'. Mark 13:33 pairs the commands: 'Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.'

Verse 37

abode in the mount — Aulizomai, to pass the night, properly in the open air. By day he taught in the temple (hieron); at night he went out to Olivet. Luke 22:39 shows it was habitual: 'he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives'.