Luke 21:12-27

Context
21:12 But before all this,¹ they will seize² you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues³ and prisons. You⁴ will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 21:13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.⁵ 21:14 Therefore be resolved⁶ not to rehearse⁷ ahead of time how to make your defense. 21:15 For I will give you the words⁸ along with the wisdom⁹ that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents,¹⁰ brothers, relatives,¹¹ and friends, and they will have some of you put to death. 21:17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.¹² 21:18 Yet¹³ not a hair of your head will perish.¹⁴ 21:19 By your endurance¹⁵ you will gain¹⁶ your lives.¹⁷

The Desolation of Jerusalem

21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem¹⁸ surrounded¹⁹ by armies, then know that its²⁰ desolation²¹ has come near. 21:21 Then those who are in Judea must flee²² to the mountains. Those²³ who are inside the city must depart. Those²⁴ who are out in the country must not enter it, 21:22 because these are days of vengeance,²⁵ to fulfill²⁶ all that is written. 21:23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! For there will be great distress²⁷ on the earth and wrath against this people. 21:24 They²⁸ will fall by the edge²⁹ of the sword and be led away as captives³⁰ among all nations. Jerusalem³¹ will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.³²

The Arrival of the Son of Man

21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars,³³ and on the earth nations will be in distress,³⁴ anxious³⁵ over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves. 21:26 People will be fainting from fear³⁶ and from the expectation of what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.³⁷ 21:27 Then³⁸ they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud³⁹ with power and great glory.

[21:12] ¹sn 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.

[21:12] ²tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”

[21:12] ³sn 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.

[21:12] ⁴tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[21:13] ⁵tn Grk “This will turn out to you for [a] testimony.”

[21:14] ⁶tn Grk “determine in your hearts.”

[21:14] ⁷tn This term could refer to rehearsing a speech or a dance. On its syntax, see BDF §392.2.

[21:15] ⁸tn Grk “a mouth.” It is a metonymy and refers to the reply the Lord will give to them.

[21:15] ⁹tn Grk “and wisdom.”

[21:16] ¹⁰sn To confess Christ might well mean rejection by one’s own family, even by parents.

[21:16] ¹¹tn 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.

[21:17] ¹²sn See Luke 6:22, 27; 1 Cor 1:25-31.

[21:18] ¹³tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[21:18] ¹⁴sn 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.

[21:19] ¹⁵sn By your endurance is a call to remain faithful, because trusting in Jesus is the means to life.

[21:19] ¹⁶tc Some important Greek witnesses plus the majority of mss (א D L W Ψ Ë¹ Ï) read the aorist imperative κτήσασθε (kthsasqe) here, though some mss (A B Θ Ë¹³ 33 pc lat sa) read the future indicative κτήσεσθε (kthsesqe). A decision is difficult because the evidence is so evenly balanced, but the aorist imperative is the harder reading and better explains the rise of the other. J. A. Fitzmyer assesses the translation options this way: “In English one has to use something similar [i.e., a future indicative], even if one follows the [aorist imperative]” (Luke [AB], 2:1341); in the same vein, although this translation follows the aorist imperative, because of English requirements it has been translated as though it were a future indicative.

[21:19] ¹⁷tn Grk “your souls,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. In light of v. 16 that does not seem to be the case here. The entire phrase could be taken as an idiom meaning “you will save yourselves” (L&N 21.20), or (as in v. 18) this could refer to living ultimately in the presence of God.

[21:20] ¹⁸map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[21:20] ¹⁹sn See Luke 19:41-44. This passage refers to the events associated with the fall of Jerusalem, when the city is surrounded by armies.

[21:20] ²⁰tn Grk “her,” referring to the city of Jerusalem (the name “Jerusalem” in Greek is a feminine noun).

[21:20] ²¹sn The phrase its desolation is a reference to the fall of the city, which is the only antecedent present in Luke’s account. The parallels to this in Matt 24:15 and Mark 13:14 refer to the temple’s desolation, though Matthew’s allusion is clearer. They focus on the parallel events of the end, not on the short term realization in a.d. 70. The entire passage has a prophetic “two events in one” typology, where the near term destruction (a.d. 70) is like the end. So the evangelists could choose to focus on the near time realization (Luke) or on its long term fulfillment, which mirrors it (Matthew, Mark).

[21:21] ²²sn Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.

[21:21] ²³tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:21] ²⁴tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:22] ²⁵tn Or “of punishment.” This is a time of judgment.

[21:22] ²⁶tn The passive construction with the infinitive πλησθῆναι (plhsqhnai) has been translated as an active construction for simplicity, in keeping with contemporary English style.

[21:23] ²⁷sn Great distress means that this is a period of great judgment.

[21:24] ²⁸tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:24] ²⁹tn Grk “by the mouth of the sword” (an idiom for the edge of a sword).

[21:24] ³⁰sn Here is the predicted judgment against the nation until the time of Gentile rule has passed: Its people will be led away as captives.

[21:24] ³¹tn Grk “And Jerusalem.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:24] ³²sn Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled implies a time when Israel again has a central role in God’s plan.

[21:25] ³³sn Signs in the sun and moon and stars are cosmic signs that turn our attention to the end and the Son of Man’s return for the righteous. OT imagery is present: See Isa 13:9-10; 24:18-20; 34:4; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:1, 30-31; 3:15.

[21:25] ³⁴tn Grk “distress of nations.”

[21:25] ³⁵tn Or “in consternation” (L&N 32.9).

[21:26] ³⁶tn According to L&N 23.184 this could be mainly a psychological experience rather than actual loss of consciousness. It could also refer to complete discouragement because of fear, leading people to give up hope (L&N 25.293).

[21:26] ³⁷sn An allusion to Isa 34:4. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.

[21:27] ³⁸tn Grk “And then” (καὶ τότε, kai tote). Here καί has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:27] ³⁹sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.