Luke 21:32-38

21:32 I tell you the truth, ¹  this generation ²  will not pass away until all these things take place. 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ³ 

Be Ready!

21:34 “But be on your guard ⁴  so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. ⁵  21:35 For ⁶  it will overtake ⁷  all who live on the face of the whole earth. ⁸  21:36 But stay alert at all times, ⁹  praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must ¹⁰  happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

21:37 So ¹¹  every day Jesus ¹²  was teaching in the temple courts, ¹³  but at night he went and stayed ¹⁴  on the Mount of Olives. ¹⁵  21:38 And all the people ¹⁶  came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts. ¹⁷ 

[21:32]  ¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:32]  ² sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (vv. 25-26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.

[21:33]  ³ sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself. For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.

[21:34]  ⁴ tn Grk “watch out for yourselves.”

[21:34]  ⁵ sn Or like a thief, see Luke 12:39-40. The metaphor of a trap is a vivid one. Most modern English translations traditionally place the words “like a trap” at the end of v. 34, completing the metaphor. In the Greek text (and in the NRSV and REB) the words “like a trap” are placed at the beginning of v. 35. This does not affect the meaning.

[21:35]  ⁶ tn There is debate in the textual tradition about the position of γάρ (gar) and whether v. 35 looks back to v. 34 or is independent. The textual evidence does slightly favor placing γάρ after the verb and thus linking it back to v. 34. The other reading looks like Isa 24:17. However, the construction is harsh and the translation prefers for stylistic reasons to start a new English sentence here.

[21:35]  ⁷ tn Or “come upon.”

[21:35]  ⁸ sn This judgment involves everyone: all who live on the face of the whole earth. No one will escape this evaluation.

[21:36]  ⁹ sn The call to be alert at all times is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord’s return.

[21:36]  ¹⁰ tn For the translation of μέλλω (mellw) as “must,” see L&N 71.36.

[21:37]  ¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” since vv. 37-38 serve as something of a summary or transition from the discourse preceding to the passion narrative that follows.

[21:37]  ¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:37]  ¹³ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[21:37]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “and spent the night,” but this is redundant because of the previous use of the word “night.”

[21:37]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “at the mountain called ‘of Olives.’”

[21:38]  ¹⁶ sn Jesus’ teaching was still quite popular with all the people at this point despite the leaders’ opposition.

[21:38]  ¹⁷ tc Some mss (those of ˹³) place John 7:53-8:11 here after v. 38, no doubt because it was felt that this was a better setting for the pericope.