Lukas 21:7-11

21:7 So ¹  they asked him, ²  “Teacher, when will these things ³  happen? And what will be the sign that ⁴  these things are about to take place?” 21:8 He ⁵  said, “Watch out ⁶  that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ ⁷  and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! 21:9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions, ⁸  do not be afraid. ⁹  For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.” ¹⁰ 

Persecution of Disciples

21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms ¹¹  against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines ¹²  and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights ¹³  and great signs ¹⁴  from heaven.

Lukas 21:25

The Arrival of the Son of Man

21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, ¹⁵  and on the earth nations will be in distress, ¹⁶  anxious ¹⁷  over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.

Lukas 21:28

21:28 But when these things ¹⁸  begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption ¹⁹  is drawing near.”

[21:7]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ comments about the temple’s future destruction.

[21:7]  ² tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[21:7]  ³ 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.

[21:7]  ⁴ tn Grk “when.”

[21:8]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:8]  ⁶ tn Or “Be on guard.”

[21:8]  ⁷ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”

[21:9]  ⁸ tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).

[21:9]  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).

[21:9]  ¹⁰ 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.

[21:10]  ¹¹ tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.

[21:11]  ¹² sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.

[21:11]  ¹³ 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.

[21:11]  ¹⁴ sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.

[21:25]  ¹⁵ sn 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]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “distress of nations.”

[21:25]  ¹⁷ tn Or “in consternation” (L&N 32.9).

[21:28]  ¹⁸ sn These things are all the events of vv. 8-27. Disciples represent the righteous here. The events surrounding the fall of the nation are a down payment on a fuller judgment to come on all humanity. The presence of one guarantees the other.

[21:28]  ¹⁹ sn With Jesus’ return comes the manifestation of judgment and final salvation (redemption).