“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.(A) When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.(B) 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.(C)

12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me.(D) 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.(E) 15 For I will give you(F) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends,(G) and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me.(H) 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.(I) 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.(J)

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So[a] they asked him,[b] “Teacher, when will these things[c] happen? And what will be the sign that[d] these things are about to take place?” He[e] said, “Watch out[f] that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’[g] and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! And when you hear of wars and rebellions,[h] do not be afraid.[i] For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”[j]

Persecution of Disciples

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms[k] against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines[l] and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights[m] and great signs[n] from heaven. 12 But before all this,[o] they will seize[p] you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues[q] and prisons. You[r] will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.[s] 14 Therefore be resolved[t] not to rehearse[u] ahead of time how to make your defense. 15 For I will give you the words[v] along with the wisdom[w] that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents,[x] brothers, relatives,[y] and friends, and they will have some of you put to death. 17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.[z] 18 Yet[aa] not a hair of your head will perish.[ab] 19 By your endurance[ac] you will gain[ad] your lives.[ae]

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 21:7 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ comments about the temple’s future destruction.
  2. Luke 21:7 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
  3. Luke 21:7 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. Luke 21:7 tn Grk “when.”
  5. Luke 21:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  6. Luke 21:8 tn Or “Be on guard.”
  7. Luke 21:8 tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”
  8. Luke 21:9 tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).
  9. Luke 21:9 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).
  10. Luke 21:9 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.
  11. Luke 21:10 tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
  12. Luke 21:11 sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.
  13. Luke 21:11 tn This term, φόβητρον (phobētron), 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.
  14. Luke 21:11 sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.
  15. Luke 21:12 sn 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.
  16. Luke 21:12 tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”
  17. Luke 21:12 sn 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.
  18. Luke 21:12 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  19. Luke 21:13 tn Grk “This will turn out to you for [a] testimony.”
  20. Luke 21:14 tn Grk “determine in your hearts.”
  21. Luke 21:14 tn This term could refer to rehearsing a speech or a dance. On its syntax, see BDF §392.2.
  22. Luke 21:15 tn Grk “a mouth.” It is a metonymy and refers to the reply the Lord will give to them.
  23. Luke 21:15 tn Grk “and wisdom.”
  24. Luke 21:16 sn To confess Christ might well mean rejection by one’s own family, even by parents.
  25. Luke 21:16 tn 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.
  26. Luke 21:17 sn See Luke 6:22, 27; 1 Cor 1:25-31.
  27. Luke 21:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  28. Luke 21:18 sn 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.
  29. Luke 21:19 sn By your endurance is a call to remain faithful, because trusting in Jesus is the means to life.
  30. Luke 21:19 tc Some significant Greek witnesses plus the majority of mss (א D L W Ψ ƒ1 M) read the aorist imperative κτήσασθε (ktēsasthe) here, though some mss (A B Θ ƒ13 33 lat sa) read the future indicative κτήσεσθε (ktēsesthe). 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.
  31. Luke 21:19 tn Grk “your souls,” but ψυχή (psuchē) 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.