Luke 21

Luke · Chapter 21

Luke 21:23

1And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.2And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:4For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.5And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,6As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.7And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?8And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.9But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.10Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:11And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.12But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.13And it shall turn to you for a testimony.14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.16And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.17And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.18But there shall not an hair of your head perish.19In your patience possess ye your souls.20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.21Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;26Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.37And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.38And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
But woeΟὐαὶOuaiG3759
woe!

οὐαί (ouai) οὐαί interj. of grief or denunciation, [in LXX for הוֹי, etc. ;] alas! woe! most frequently with dative of person(s) Mat.11:21 23:14, Mrk.13:17 14:21, Luk.6:24-26 Ju 11, al.; with vocat. (nom.), Rev.18:10, 16 18:19 (cf. Isa.1:24, al.); with accusative, Rev.12:12, before ἐκ, Rev.8:13; with dative before ἀπό (see M, Pr., 246), Mat.18:7. As subst., 1Co.9:16 (cf. Jer.6:4); ἡ οὐ., Rev.9:12 11:14; pl., Rev.9:12; οὐ., οὐ., οὐ., Rev.8:13 (AS)

nowδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

womb [pregnancy]γαστρὶgastriG1064
belly

γαστήρ (gastēr) γαστήρͅ, -τρός, ἡ, [in LXX for בֶּטֶן, ἐν γ. ἔχειν for הרה, ἐν γ. λαμβάνειν for חרה ;] 1. the belly: metaphorically, a glutton, Tit.1:12. 2. the womb: ἐν γ. ἔχειν, to be with child, Mat.1:18, 23" (LXX) 24:19, Mrk.13:17, Luk.21:23, 1Th.5:3, Rev.12:2; εν γ. συλλαμβ., to conceive, Luk.1:31. † (AS)

havingἐχούσαιςechousaisG2192
to have/be

ἔχω (echō) ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

nursingθηλαζούσαιςthēlazousaisG2337
to suckle

θηλάζω (thēlazō) θηλάζω (θηλή, a breast), [in LXX chiefly for יָנַק hi. ;] 1. of the mother, to suckle: Mat.24:19, Mrk.13:17, Luk.21:23. 2. Of the young, to suck: Mat.21:16; μαστούς, Luk.11:27 (cf. Job.3:12, Sng.8:1, al.).† (AS)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

thoseἐκείναιςekeinaisG1565
that

ἐκεῖνος (ekeinos) ἐκεῖνος, -η, -ο (ἐκεῖ), [in LXX chiefly for הַהוּא ,הוּא, and cogn. forms ;] demonstr. pron., that person or thing (ille), implying remoteness as compared with οὗτος (hic); 1. absol., emphatic he, she, it: opposite to οὗτος, Luk.18:14, Jas.4:15; ἡμεῖς, Heb.12:25; ὑμεῖς, Mrk.4:11; ἄλλοι, Jhn.9:9; ἐγώ, Jhn.3:30; to persons named, Mk 16:[10, 13, 20], Jhn.2:21; of one (absent) who is not named, contemptuously (Abbott, JG, §§2385, 2732), Jhn.7:11 9:28; with respect, of Christ, 1Jo.2:6 3:3, al.; referring to a preceding noun, Mrk.16:[10], Jhn.7:45; resumption of a participial subject, Jhn.1:33 9 …

days;ἡμέραις·hēmeraisG2250
day

ἡμέρα (hēmera) ἡμέρα, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly (very freq.) for יוֹם ;] day; 1. as distinct from night: genitive ἡμέρας, by day (WM, §30, 11), Rev.21:25; ἡ. κ. νυκτός (ν. κ. ̔ἡ.), Act.9:24, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8, Rev.4:8 (BL, §36, 13); ἡμέρας μέσης, at mid-day, Act.26:13; accusative durat., τ. ἡμέρας, Luk.21:37; ὅλην τὴν ἡ., Rom.8:36; ἐν ἡμέρα, Jhn.11:9, Rom.13:13; ἡμέρας ὁδός, a day's journey, Luk.2:44; ἡ. γίνεται, Lk 4:42 22:66; κλίνει, Luk.9:12, al.; metaphorically, Jhn.9:4, Rom.13:12, 1Th.5:4, 5 8, 2Pe.1:19. …

there will beἔσταιestaiG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

distressἀνάγκηanagkēG0318
necessity

ἀνάγκη (anagkē) ἀνάγκη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for מָצוֹק, צַר ;] 1. necessity: ἔχειν ἀ-, with inf., to be compelled, Luk.14:18 23:17 (Rec., R, mg.), 1Co.7:37, Ju 3, Heb.7:27; ἐξ ἀ., κατ᾽ ἀ., of necessity, 2Co.9:7, Heb.7:12, Phm 14; ἀ. μοι ἐπίκειται, n. is laid on me, 1Co.9:16; with inf. (= ἀναγκαῖον ἐστι), Mat.18:7, Rom.13:5, Heb.9:16, 23 2. force, violence, hence pain, distress (Diod., al.; LXX; see M, Th., 41; MM, VGT, see word; cf. θλίψις): Luk.21:23, 1Co.7:26, 1Th.3:7; pl. (see B1., § 32, 6; Swete, Mk., 153), ἐν ἀ., 2Co.6:4 12:10.† (AS)

greatμεγάληmegalēG3173
great

μέγας (megas) μέγας, μεγάλη, μέγα, [in LXX chiefly for גָּדוֹל, also for מַרְבֶּה ,רַב (incl. μείζων), רֹב (μέγιστος) ;] great; 1. of external form, bodily size, measure, extent: λίθος, Mat.2:60; δράκων, Rev.12:3; ἰχθῦς, Jhn.21:11; πόλις, Rev.11:8; μάχαιρα, Rev.6:4, al. 2. Of intensity and degree: δύναμις, Act.4:33; φόβος, Mrk.4:41; ἀγάπη, Jhn.15:13; ἄνεμος, 'ib. 6:18; κραυγή, Act.23:9; φῶς, Mat.4:16; πυρετός, Luk.4:38; θλίψις, Mat.24:21. 3. Of rank; …

uponἐπὶepiG1909
upon/to/against

ἐπί (epi) ἐπί (before a smooth breathing ἐπ᾽, before a rough breathing ἐφ᾽), prep. with genitive, dative, accusative (accusative most frequently in NT), with primary sense of superposition, on, upon. I. C. genitive, 1. of place, answering the question, where? …

landγῆςgēsG1093G
earth: planet

γῆ (gē) γῆ, γῆς, ἡ, [in LXX for אֲדָמָה ,אֶרֶץ, etc. ;] 1. the earth, world: Luk.21:35, Act.1:8, Heb.11:13, Rev.3:10, al.; opposite to οὐρανός, Mat.5:18 11:25, Mrk.13:27, al. 2. land; (a) opposite to sea or water: Mrk.4:1, Luk.5:3, Jhn.6:21, al.; (b) as subject to cultivation: Mat.13:5, Mrk.4:8, Luk.13:7, Heb.6:7, al.; (with) the ground: Mat.10:29, Mrk.8:6, Luk.24:5, Jhn.8:6, al.; (d) a region, country: Luk.4:25, Rom.9:28, Jas.5:17; γῆ Ἰσραήλ, Mat.2:20, 21; Χαλδαίων, Act.7:4; ἡ Ἰουδαία γῆ, Jhn.3:22; with genitive of person(s), Act.7:3. (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

wrathὀργὴorgēG3709
wrath

ὀργή (orgē) ὀργή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for אַף, also for חָרוֹן, חֵמָה, קָצַף, etc. ;] 1 1, impulse, propensity, disposition. 2. anger, wrath; (a) of men: Mrk.3:5, Eph.4:31, Col.3:8, 1Ti.2:8, Jas.1:19-20; (b) of God; α that reaction of the divine nature against sin which in anthropomorphic language is called anger: Rom.1:18 9:22 12:19, (ICC, in l), 1Th.1:10 2:16, Heb.3:11 4:3" (LXX) Rev.14:10 16:19 19:15; …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

peopleλαῷlaōG2992
a people

λαός (laos) λαός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX very frequently for עַם, Gen.14:16, al.; occasionally for לְאֹם ( Gen.25:23, al.), etc. ;] a word rarely found in Att. prose; 1. the people at large (Hom., al.), esp. of people assembled: Mat.27:25, Luk.1:21 3:15 al.; pl. (Hom., al., π.; see MM, xvi), Act.4:27. …

this,τούτῳ,toutōG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.