the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Green's Literal Translation
Luke 21:20
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"You will see armies all around Jerusalem. Then you will know that the time for its destruction has come.
And when ye se Ierusalem beseged with an hoste then vnderstonde that the desolacio of the same is nye.
"But when you see Yerushalayim surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then understand that its devastation is near.Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14;">[xr]
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.
"When you see armies all around Jerusalem, you will know it will soon be destroyed.
But when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its desolation is nigh.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by [hostile] armies, then understand [with confident assurance] that her complete destruction is near.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.
And when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
"But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand.
But whanne ye schulen se Jerusalem ben enuyround with an oost, thanne wite ye, that the desolacioun of it schal neiye.
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near.
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by soldiers, you will know that it will soon be destroyed.
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
But when you see armies all round about Jerusalem, then be certain that her destruction is near.
"However, when you see Yerushalayim surrounded by armies, then you are to understand that she is about to be destroyed.
But when ye see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that its desolation is drawn nigh.
But when you see Urishlem encompassed by an army, then know that its destruction hath drawn nigh.
And when ye shall see Jerusalem with an army encompassing it, then know ye, that its destruction draweth nigh.
And when yee shall see Hierusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
"And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.
"When you see armies all around Jerusalem, know that it will soon be destroyed.
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
And when ye see Hierusalem besieged with souldiers, then vnderstand that the desolation thereof is neere.
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by an army, then know that its destruction is at hand.
But whensoever ye shall see Jerusalem, encompassed by armies, then, know, that her desolation hath drawn near.
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army, then know that the desolation thereof is at hand.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
And whe ye see Hierusalem besieged with an hoast, then be sure that the desolation of the same is nye.
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
`And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;
But whan ye shal se Ierusalem beseged with an hoost, then vnderstonde, that the desolacion of it is nye.
Now when you shall see Jerusalem invested by an army, then be assured that the desolation of it is nigh.
"When you see soldiers camped all around Jerusalem, then you'll know that she is about to be devastated. If you're living in Judea at the time, run for the hills. If you're in the city, get out quickly. If you're out in the fields, don't go home to get your coat. This is Vengeance Day—everything written about it will come to a head. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard. Incredible misery! Torrential rage! People dropping like flies; people dragged off to prisons; Jerusalem under the boot of barbarians until the nations finish what was given them to do.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
Matthew 24:15-28; Mark 13:14-23">[xr] "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
"You'll know everything is about to be destroyed when you see Jerusalem's enemies camped outside the gates.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Luke 21:7, Luke 19:43, Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14
Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:32 - And I Deuteronomy 28:52 - General Psalms 74:4 - they set Isaiah 27:10 - the defenced Isaiah 32:14 - the palaces Isaiah 42:22 - a people Jeremiah 4:17 - keepers Jeremiah 35:11 - Come Jeremiah 44:29 - a sign Jeremiah 52:4 - pitched Daniel 8:13 - and the Daniel 11:31 - the abomination Micah 7:13 - General Zechariah 13:8 - two Zechariah 14:2 - the city Malachi 4:1 - the day Matthew 23:38 - General John 11:48 - and the Acts 13:41 - for 1 Thessalonians 2:16 - for Revelation 20:9 - and compassed
Cross-References
He was a mighty hunter before Jehovah; so it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before Jehovah.
And he shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against all, and the hand of everyone against him; and he shall live before all his brothers.
And as to Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall father twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.
And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time appointed, that which God had spoken with him.
And Abraham called the name of the son who was born to him, whom Sarah had borne to him, Isaac.
And now swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me, and to my son, and to my heir, according to the kindness which I have sworn to you. Do to me and to the land in which you have lived.
And Abraham said, I will swear.
And Abraham reproved Abimelech on account of a well of water which the slaves of Abimelech had seized.
And the boys grew up. And Esau became a man knowing hunting, a man of the field. And Jacob was a simple man, living in tents.
And now please lift up your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go to the field and hunt game for me.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,.... The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions read, "with an army"; that is, with the Roman army, as it was by the army which Titus Vespasian brought against it, and besieged it with:
then know that the desolation thereof is nigh; signifying, that there would be no deliverance to be expected, as when the Assyrian army under Rabshakeh appeared against it; but that whenever the Roman army besieged it, its destruction might be looked upon as inevitable; nor was the siege raised until it was destroyed, which was about four years after.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The account of the destruction of Jerusalem contained in this chapter has been fully considered in the notes at Matthew 24:0. All that will be necessary here will be an explanation of a few words that did not occur in that chapter.
Luke 21:9
Commotions - Insurrections. Subjects rising against their rulers.
Luke 21:11
Fearful sights - See Matthew 24:7.
Luke 21:12, Luke 21:13
Synagogues, and into prisons - See the notes at Mark 13:9-10.
Luke 21:14
Settle it, therefore, in your hearts - Fix it firmly in your minds - so firmly as to become a settled principle - that you are always to depend on God for aid in all your trials. See Mark 13:11.
Luke 21:15
A mouth - Eloquence, ability to speak as the case may demand. Compare Exodus 4:11.
Gainsay - Speak against. They will not be able to âreplyâ to it, or to âresistâ the force of what you shall say.
Luke 21:18
A hair of your head perish - This is a proverbial expression, denoting that they should not suffer any essential injury. This was strikingly fulfilled in the fact that in the calamities of Jerusalem there is reason to believe that no Christian suffered. Before those calamities came on the city they had fled to âPella,â a city on the east of the Jordan. See the notes at Matthew 24:18.
Luke 21:19
In your patience - Rather by your perseverance. The word âpatienceâ here means constancy or perseverance in sustaining afflictions.
Possess ye your souls - Some read here the âfutureâ instead of the âpresentâ of the verb rendered âpossess.â The word âpossessâ means here to âpreserveâ or keep, and the word âsoulsâ means âlives.â This passage may be thus translated: By persevering in bearing these trials you âwillâ save your lives, or you will be safe; or, by persevering âpreserveâ your lives; that is, do not yield to these calamities, but bear up under them, for he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Compare Matthew 24:13.
Luke 21:22
All things which are written may be fulfilled - Judgment had been threatened by almost all the prophets against that wicked city. They had spoken of its crimes and threatened its ruin. Once God had destroyed Jerusalem and carried the people to Babylon; but their crimes had been repeated when they returned, and God had again threatened their ruin. Particularly was this very destruction foretold by Daniel, Daniel 9:26-27; âAnd after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.â See the notes at that passage.
Luke 21:24
Shall fall ... - No less than one million one hundred thousand perished in the siege of Jerusalem.
Shall be led away captive - More than 90,000 were led into captivity. See the notes at Matthew 24:0.
Shall be trodden down by the Gentiles - Shall be in possession of the Gentiles, or be subject to them. The expression also implies that it would be an âoppressiveâ subjection, as when a captive in war is trodden down under the feet of the conqueror. Anciently conquerors âtrod onâ the necks of those who were subdued by them, Jos 10:24; 2 Samuel 22:41; Ezekiel 21:29. The bondage of Jerusalem has been long and very oppressive. It was for a long time under the dominion of the Romans, then of the Saracens, and is now of the Turks, and is aptly represented by a captive stretched on the ground whose neck is âtroddenâ by the foot of the conqueror.
Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled - This passage has been understood very differently by different expositors. Some refer it to the time which the Romans who conquered it had dominion over it, as signifying that âtheyâ should keep possession of it until a part of the pagans should be converged, when it should be rebuilt. Thus it was rebuilt by the Emperor Adrian. Others suppose that it refers to the end of the world, when all the Gentiles shall be converted, and they shall âceaseâ to be Gentiles by becoming Christians, meaning that it should âalwaysâ be desolate. Others, that Christ meant to say that in the times of the millennium, when the gospel should spread universally, he would reign personally on the earth, and that the âJewsâ would return and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. This is the opinion of the Jews and of many Christians. The meaning of the passage clearly is,
- That Jerusalem would be completely destroyed.
- That this would be done by Gentiles - that is, by the Roman armies.
- That this desolation would continue as long as God should judge it proper in a fit manner to express his abhorrence of the crimes of the nation - that is, until the times allotted to âthemâ by God for this desolation should be accomplished, without specifying how long that would be, or what would occur to the city after that.
It âmayâ be rebuilt, and inhabited by converted Jews. Such a thing is âpossible,â and the Jews naturally seek that as their home; but whether this be so or not, the time when the âGentiles,â as such, shall have dominion over the city is limited. Like all other cities on the earth, it will yet be brought under the influence of the gospel, and will be inhabited by the true friends of God. Pagan, infidel, anti-Christian dominion shall cease there, and it will be again a place where God will be worshipped in sincerity - a place âeven thenâ of special interest from the recollection of the events which have occurred there. âHow longâ it is to be before this occurs is known only to Him âwho hath put the times and seasons in his own power,â Acts 1:7.
Luke 21:25
See the notes at Matthew 24:29.
Upon the earth distress of nations - Some have proposed to render the word âearthâ by âland,â confining it to Judea. It often has this meaning, and there seems some propriety in so using it here. The word translated âdistressâ denotes anxiety of mind - such an anxiety as people have when they do not know what to do to free themselves from calamities; and it means here that the calamities would be so great and overwhelming that they would not know what to do to escape. There would be a want of counsel, and deep anxiety at the impending evils.
With perplexity - Rather âon accountâ of their perplexity, or the desperate state of their affairs. The Syriac has it, âperplexity or wringing of hands,â which is a sign of deep distress and horror.
The sea and the waves roaring - This is not to be understood literally, but as an image of great distress. Probably it is designed to denote that these calamities would come upon them like a deluge. As when in a storm the ocean roars, and wave rolls on wave and dashes against the shore, and each succeeding surge is more violent than the one that preceded it, so would the calamities come upon Judea. They would roll over the whole land, and each wave of trouble would be more violent than the one that preceded it, until the whole country would be desolate. The same image is also used in Isaiah 8:7-8, and Revelation 18:15.
Luke 21:26
Menâs hearts failing them - This is an expression denoting the highest terror. The word rendered âfailingâ commonly denotes to âdie,â and here it means that the terror would be so great that people would faint and be ready to die in view of the approaching calamities. And if this was true in respect to the judgments about to come upon Judea, how much more so will it be in the day of judgment, when the wicked will be arraigned before the Son of God, and when they shall have before them the prospect of the awful sufferings of hell - the pains and woes which shall continue forever! It will be no wonder, then, if they call on the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God, and if their hearts sink within them at the prospect of eternal suffering.
Luke 21:28
Your redemption draweth nigh - See the notes at Matthew 24:33. This is expressed in Luke 21:31 thus: âthe kingdom of God is nigh at handâ - that is, from that time God will signally build up his kingdom. It shall be fully established when the Jewish policy shall come to an end; when the temple shall be destroyed, and the Jews scattered abroad. Then the power of the Jews shall be at an end; they shall no longer be able to persecute you, and you shall be completely delivered from all these trials and calamities in Judea.
Luke 21:34
Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged ... - The meaning of this verse is, âBe continually expecting these things. Do not forget them, and do not be âsecureâ and satisfied with this life and the good things which it furnishes. Do not suffer yourselves to be drawn into the fashions of the world; to be conformed to its customs; to partake of its feasts and revelry; and so these calamities shall come upon you when you least expect them.â And from this we may learn - what alas! we may from the âlivesâ of many professing Christians - that there is need of cautioning the disciples of Jesus now that they do not indulge in the festivities of this life, and âforgetâ that they are to die and come to judgment. How many, alas! who bear the Christian name, have forgotten this caution of the Saviour, and live as if their lives were secure; as if they feared not death; as if there were no heaven and no judgment! Christians should feel that they are soon to die, and that their portion is not in this life; and, feeling this, they should be âlooking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.â
Overcharged - Literally, âbe made heavy,â as is the case with those who have eaten and drunken too much.
Surfeiting - Excessive eating and drinking, so as to oppress the body; indulgence in the pleasures of the table. This word does not include âintoxication,â but merely indulgence in food and drink, though the food and drink should be in themselves lawful.
Drunkenness - Intoxication, intemperance in drinking. The ancients were not acquainted with the poison that we chiefly use on which to become drunk. They had no distilled spirits. They became intoxicated on wine, and strong drink made of a mixture of dates, honey, etc. All nations have contrived some way to become intoxicated - to bring in folly, and disease, and poverty, and death, by drunkenness; and in nothing is the depravity of men more manifest than in thus endeavoring to hasten the ravages of crime and death.
Luke 21:35
As a snare - In Matthew and Mark Jesus compares the suddenness with which these calamities would come to the deluge coming in the days of Noah. Here he likens it to a snare. Birds are caught by a snare or net. It is sprung on them quickly, and when they are not expecting it. So, says he, shall these troubles come upon Judea. The figure is often used to denote the suddenness of calamities, Psalms 69:22; Romans 11:9; Psalms 124:7; Isaiah 24:17.
Luke 21:36
To stand before the Son of man - These approaching calamities are represented as the âcoming of the Son of manâ to judge Jerusalem for its crimes. Its inhabitants were so wicked that they were not worthy to stand before him and would be condemned, and the city would be overthrown. To âstand before himâ here denotes approbation, acquittal, favor, and is equivalent to saying that âtheyâ would be free from these calamities, while they should come upon others. See Romans 14:4; Psalms 1:5; Psalms 130:3; Revelation 6:17. Perhaps, also, there is a reference here to the day of judgment. See the notes at Matthew 24:0.
