Luke 21:28

Green's Literal Translation

But these things beginning to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
When these things begin to happen, stand up tall and don't be afraid. Know that it is almost time for God to free you!"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When these thinges begyn to come to passe: then loke vp and lifte vp youre heddes for youre redemcion draweth neye.

Hebrew Names Version
But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near."

International Standard Version
"Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, for your deliverance is near."Romans 8:19,23;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

New Century Version
When these things begin to happen, look up and hold your heads high, because the time when God will free you is near!"

Update Bible Version
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draws near.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh.

Amplified Bible
"Now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near."

English Standard Version
Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

World English Bible
But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Weymouth's New Testament
But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne these thingis bigynnen to be maad, biholde ye, and reise ye youre heedis, for youre redempcioun neiyeth.

English Revised Version
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.

Berean Standard Bible
When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Contemporary English Version
When all of this starts happening, stand up straight and be brave. You will soon be set free.

American Standard Version
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.

Bible in Basic English
But when these things come about, let your heads be lifted up, because your salvation is near.

Complete Jewish Bible
When these things start to happen, stand up and hold your heads high; because you are about to be liberated!"

Darby Translation
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws nigh.

Etheridge Translation
28 But when these things begin to be, take courage, [fn] and lift up your heads, because your redemption hath drawn nigh.

Murdock Translation
And when these things shall begin to be, take courage, and lift up your heads, for your deliverance draweth nigh.

King James Version (1611)
And when these things begin to come to passe, then looke vp, and lift vp your heads, for your redemptiou draweth nigh.

New Living Translation
So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"

New Life Bible
When these things begin to happen, lift up your heads because you have been bought by the blood of Christ and will soon be free."

New Revised Standard
Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when these things beginne to come to passe, then looke vp, and lift vp your heades: for your redemption draweth neere.

George Lamsa Translation
But when these things begin to happen, have courage, and lift up your heads; because your salvation is at hand.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when these things are beginning to come to pass, unbend and lift up your heads, because that, your redemption, is drawing near.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.

Revised Standard Version
Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when these thynges begyn to come to passe, then loke vp, and lyft vp your heades, for your redemptio draweth nye.

Good News Translation
When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near."

Christian Standard Bible®
But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

King James Version
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Lexham English Bible
But when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!"

Young's Literal Translation
and these things beginning to happen bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption doth draw nigh.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan these thinges begynne to come to passe, the loke vp, and lift vpp youre heades, for youre redempcion draweth nye.

Mace New Testament (1729)
now when these things begin to appear, then lift up your heads, and behold your redemption drawing nigh.

New English Translation
But when these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

New King James Version
Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Simplified Cowboy Version
When these things happen, you can be confident and know the time is close for your victory."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Legacy Standard Bible
But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Contextual Overview

²⁰ And when you see Jerusalem being encircled by armies, then recognize that its destruction has come near. ²¹ Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains; and those in its midst, let them go out. And those in the open spaces, let them not go into her. ²² For these are days of vengeance when all things that have been written are to be fulfilled. ²³ But woe to the pregnant women, and the ones suckling in those days; for great distress will be on the earth and wrath on this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the mouth of the sword and will be led captive to all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by nations, until the times of the nations are fulfilled. ²⁵ And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars. And on the earth will be anxiety of nations with bewilderment, roaring of sea and of surf, ²⁶ men fainting from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and much glory. Dan. 7:13 ²⁸ But these things beginning to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

look: Psalms 98:5-9, Isaiah 12:1-3, Isaiah 25:8, Isaiah 25:9, Isaiah 60:1, Isaiah 60:2

redemption: Romans 8:19, Romans 8:23, Ephesians 1:14, Ephesians 4:30

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 15:37 - began Isaiah 35:4 - behold Jeremiah 51:46 - lest Matthew 16:28 - see Luke 21:7 - what Luke 21:9 - but Romans 13:11 - for now 1 Thessalonians 4:18 - Wherefore

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when these things begin to come to pass,.... When the first of these signs appears, or any one of them:

then look up and lift up your heads; be cheerful and pleasant; do not hang down your heads as bulrushes, but erect them, and put on a cheerful countenance, and look upwards, from whence your help comes; and look out wistfully and intently, for your salvation and deliverance:

for your redemption draweth nigh; not the redemption of their souls from sin, Satan, the law, the world, death, and hell; for that was to be obtained, and was obtained, before any of these signs took place; nor the redemption of their bodies at the last day, in the resurrection, called the day of redemption; for this respects something that was to be, in the present age and generation; see

Luke 21:32 but the deliverance of the apostles and other Christians, from the persecutions of the Jews, which were very violent, and held till these times, and then they were freed from them: or by redemption is meant, the Redeemer, the son of man, who shall now come in power and glory, to destroy the Jews, and deliver his people; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "for he draws nigh who shall save you".

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 “reply” to it, or to “resist” 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 “Pella,” 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 “patience” here means constancy or perseverance in sustaining afflictions.

Possess ye your souls - Some read here the “future” instead of the “present” of the verb rendered “possess.” The word “possess” means here to “preserve” or keep, and the word “souls” means “lives.” This passage may be thus translated: By persevering in bearing these trials you “will” save your lives, or you will be safe; or, by persevering “preserve” 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; “And 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.” 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 “oppressive” subjection, as when a captive in war is trodden down under the feet of the conqueror. Anciently conquerors “trod on” 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 “trodden” 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 “they” 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 “cease” to be Gentiles by becoming Christians, meaning that it should “always” 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 “Jews” 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,

1. That Jerusalem would be completely destroyed.
2. That this would be done by Gentiles - that is, by the Roman armies.
3. 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 “them” 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 “may” be rebuilt, and inhabited by converted Jews. Such a thing is “possible,” and the Jews naturally seek that as their home; but whether this be so or not, the time when the “Gentiles,” 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 “even then” of special interest from the recollection of the events which have occurred there. “How long” it is to be before this occurs is known only to Him “who hath put the times and seasons in his own power,” 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 “earth” by “land,” confining it to Judea. It often has this meaning, and there seems some propriety in so using it here. The word translated “distress” 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 “on account” of their perplexity, or the desperate state of their affairs. The Syriac has it, “perplexity or wringing of hands,” 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

Men’s hearts failing them - This is an expression denoting the highest terror. The word rendered “failing” commonly denotes to “die,” 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: “the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” - 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, “Be continually expecting these things. Do not forget them, and do not be “secure” 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.” And from this we may learn - what alas! we may from the “lives” 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 “forget” 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 “looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.”

Overcharged - Literally, “be made heavy,” 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 “intoxication,” 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 “coming of the Son of man” 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 “stand before him” here denotes approbation, acquittal, favor, and is equivalent to saying that “they” 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.