Text -- Luke 21:1-18 (NET)

The Widow’s Offering

21:1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. 21:2 He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 21:3 He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 21:4 For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”

The Signs of the End of the Age

21:5 Now while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, 21:6 “As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!” 21:7 So they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?” 21:8 He said, “Watch out that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! 21:9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”

Persecution of Disciples

21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven. 21:12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 21:13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. 21:14 Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. 21:15 For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death. 21:17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. 21:18 Yet not a hair of your head will perish.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Luk 21:1

¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Grk “looking up, he saw.” The participle ἀναβλέψας (anableya") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

³ tn On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.

sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200), 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294); and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Mark 12:41; John 8:20).

NET Notes: Luk 21:2

¹ sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.

NET Notes: Luk 21:3

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

² tn Grk “Truly, I say to you.”

³ sn Has put in more than all of them. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.

NET Notes: Luk 21:4

¹ tn Grk “out of what abounded to them.”

² tn Or “put in her entire livelihood.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:5

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

² sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 (15.380-425); J. W. 5.5 (5.184-227) and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.

³ tn For the translation of ἀνάθημα (anaqhma) as “offering” see L&N 53.18.

⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Luk 21:6

¹ sn With the statement days will come when not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in a.d. 70.

² tn Grk “the days will come when not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:7

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ comments about the temple’s future destruction.

² tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

³ sn Both references to these things are plural, so more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.

⁴ tn Grk “when.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:8

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Or “Be on guard.”

³ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:9

¹ tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).

² tn This is not the usual term for fear, but refers to a deep sense of terror and emotional distress (Luke 24:37; BDAG 895 s.v. πτοέω).

³ sn The end will not come at once. This remark about timing not only indicates that there will be events before the end, but that some time will also pass before it comes.

NET Notes: Luk 21:10

¹ tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.

NET Notes: Luk 21:11

¹ sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.

² tn This term, φόβητρον (fobhtron), occurs only here in the NT. It could refer to an object, event, or condition that causes fear, but in the context it is linked with great signs from heaven, so the translation “sights” was preferred.

³ sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.

NET Notes: Luk 21:12

¹ sn But before all this. Another note of timing is present, this one especially important in understanding the sequence in the discourse. Before the things noted in vv. 8-11 are the events of vv. 12-19.

² tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”

³ sn Some of the persecution is of Jewish origin (the synagogues). Some fulfillment of this can be seen in Acts. See the note on synagogues in 4:15.

⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

NET Notes: Luk 21:13

¹ tn Grk “This will turn out to you for [a] testimony.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:14

¹ tn Grk “determine in your hearts.”

² tn This term could refer to rehearsing a speech or a dance. On its syntax, see BDF §392.2.

NET Notes: Luk 21:15

¹ tn Grk “a mouth.” It is a metonymy and refers to the reply the Lord will give to them.

² tn Grk “and wisdom.”

NET Notes: Luk 21:16

¹ sn To confess Christ might well mean rejection by one’s own family, even by parents.

² tn Grk “and brothers and relatives,” but καί (kai) has not been translated twice here since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

NET Notes: Luk 21:17

¹ sn See Luke 6:22, 27; 1 Cor 1:25-31.

NET Notes: Luk 21:18

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

² sn Given v. 16, the expression not a hair of your head will perish must be taken figuratively and refer to living ultimately in the presence of God.