Luke 21:8-11

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

Persecution of Disciples

21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms ⁷  against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines ⁸  and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights ⁹  and great signs ¹⁰  from heaven.

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

² tn Or “Be on guard.”

³ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”

⁴ tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).

⁵ 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).

⁶ 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.

⁷ tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.

⁸ sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.