Luke 21:7

New Century Version

They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Teacher,” they asked him, “so when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

King James Version (1611)
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what signe wil there be, when these things shall come to passe?

King James Version
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?

English Standard Version
And they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

New American Standard Bible
They asked Him questions, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

Amplified Bible
They asked Him, "Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to happen?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

Legacy Standard Bible
So they questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

Berean Standard Bible
"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"

Contemporary English Version
Some people asked, "Teacher, when will all this happen? How can we know when these things are about to take place?"

Complete Jewish Bible
They asked him, "Rabbi, if this is so, when will these events take place? And what sign will show that they are about to happen?"

Darby Translation
And they asked him saying, Teacher, when then shall these things be; and what [is] the sign when these things are going to take place?

Easy-to-Read Version
Some followers asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will these things happen? What will show us that it is time for these things to happen?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what signe shall there be when these things shall come to passe?

George Lamsa Translation
And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when will these things happen? and what is the sign when these things are about to happen?

Good News Translation
"Teacher," they asked, "when will this be? And what will happen in order to show that the time has come for it to take place?"

Lexham English Bible
And they asked him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?"

Literal Translation
And they asked Him, saying, Teacher, then when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to happen?

American Standard Version
And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?

Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, Master, when will these things be? and what sign will there be when these events are to take place?

Hebrew Names Version
They asked him, "Teacher, when therefore will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?"

International Standard Version
Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?"

Etheridge Translation
And they inquired of him, and said, Malphona, when shall these be ? and what is the sign that these are nigh to be ?

Murdock Translation
And they questioned him, and said: Teacher, when will these things be? And what is the sign that they are near to take place?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they asked him, saying: Maister when shall these thynges be? and what signe wyll there be, when these thynges shall come to passe?

English Revised Version
And they asked him, saying, Master, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?

World English Bible
They asked him, "Teacher, when therefore will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And they asked him saying, Master, when shall these things be? And what is the sign, when these things shall come to pass?

Weymouth's New Testament
"Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei axiden hym, and seiden, Comaundour, whanne schulen these thingis be? and what tokne schal be, whanne thei schulen bigynne to be don?

Update Bible Version
And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when these things are about to come to pass?

Webster's Bible Translation
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when will these things be? and what sign [will there be] when these things shall come to pass?

New English Translation
So they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?"

New King James Version
Matthew 24:3-14; Mark 13:3-13">[xr] So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"

New Living Translation
"Teacher," they asked, "when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?"

New Life Bible
They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will this take place? What are we to look for to show us these things are about to happen?"

New Revised Standard
They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they questioned him, saying - Teacher! when, therefore, will these things be? And, what the sign, when these things shall be about to come to pass?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they asked him, saying: Master, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when they shall begin to come to pass?

Revised Standard Version
And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And they axed him sayinge: Master whe shall these thinges be and what signe will therbe whe suche thinges shall come to passe.

Young's Literal Translation
And they questioned him, saying, `Teacher, when, then, shall these things be? and what [is] the sign when these things may be about to happen?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They axed him, and sayde: Master, wha shal these be? and what shalbe the token, whan these shal come to passe?

Mace New Testament (1729)
thereupon they said to him, master, when shall this happen? and by what sign shall we know that the event is coming?

THE MESSAGE
They asked him, "Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it's about to take place?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Boss," they asked, "when will it happen? What will set it off so we can know what to look for?"

Contextual Overview

⁵ Some people were talking about the Temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts offered to God. But Jesus said, ⁶ "As for these things you are looking at, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down." ⁷ They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?" ⁸ Jesus said, "Be careful so you are not fooled. Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the One' and, ‘The time has come!' But don't follow them. ⁹ When you hear about wars and riots, don't be afraid, because these things must happen first, but the end will come later." ¹⁰ Then he said to them, "Nations will fight against other nations, and kingdoms against other kingdoms. ¹¹ In various places there will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and a lack of food. Fearful events and great signs will come from heaven. ¹² "But before all these things happen, people will arrest you and treat you cruelly. They will judge you in their synagogues and put you in jail and force you to stand before kings and governors, because you follow me. ¹³ But this will give you an opportunity to tell about me. ¹⁴ Make up your minds not to worry ahead of time about what you will say.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when: Luke 21:32, Daniel 12:6, Daniel 12:8, Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:3, Mark 13:4, John 21:21, John 21:22, Acts 1:6, Acts 1:7

what: Luke 21:20, Luke 21:21, Luke 21:27, Luke 21:28, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14

Reciprocal: Luke 13:23 - And

Cross-References

Genesis 21:11
This troubled Abraham very much because Ishmael was also his son.

Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, "Don't be troubled about the boy and the slave woman. Do whatever Sarah tells you. The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac.

Genesis 21:32
After Abraham and Abimelech made the agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, went back to the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 21:34
And Abraham lived as a stranger in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

Numbers 23:23
No tricks will work on the people of Jacob, and no magic will work against Israel. People now say about them, ‘Look what God has done for Israel!'

Psalms 86:8
Lord, there is no god like you and no works like yours.

Psalms 86:10
You are great and you do miracles. Only you are God.

Isaiah 49:21
Then you will say to yourself, ‘Who gave me all these children? I was sad and lonely, defeated and separated from my people. So who reared these children? I was left all alone. Where did all these children come from?'"

Isaiah 66:8
No one has ever heard of that happening; no one has ever seen that happen. In the same way no one ever saw a country begin in one day; no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning in one moment. But Jerusalem will give birth to her children just as soon as she feels the birth pains.

Ephesians 3:10
His purpose was that through the church all the rulers and powers in the heavenly world will now know God's wisdom, which has so many forms.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they asked him,.... That is, his disciples, when they were come to the Mount of Olives, and as he sat upon that,

Matthew 24:3

saying, master, but when shall these things be? when the temple shall be destroyed; and one stone shall not be left upon another;

and what sign [will there be] when these things shall come to pass? which shows that this refers to the destruction of the temple, and so the signs following; Matthew 24:3- :.

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.