Luke 21:7-9

21:7 So ¹  they asked him, ²  “Teacher, when will these things ³  happen? And what will be the sign that ⁴  these things are about to take place?” 21:8 He ⁵  said, “Watch out ⁶  that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ ⁷  and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! 21:9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions, ⁸  do not be afraid. ⁹  For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.” ¹⁰ 

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.”

⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁶ tn Or “Be on guard.”

⁷ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”

⁹ tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).

¹⁰ 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).

¹¹ 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.