Luke 21:11-25
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
The Coming Persecution. 12 (A)“Before all this happens,[a] however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.(B) 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 (C)for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking[b] that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 (D)You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.(E) 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.(F) 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.(G)
The Great Tribulation.[c] 20 (H)“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand.(I) 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city,(J) 22 for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. 23 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people.(K) 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles[d] are fulfilled.(L)
The Coming of the Son of Man.(M) 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.(N)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 21:12 Before all this happens…: to Luke and his community, some of the signs of the end just described (Lk 21:10–11) still lie in the future. Now in dealing with the persecution of the disciples (Lk 21:12–19) and the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk 21:20–24) Luke is pointing to eschatological signs that have already been fulfilled.
- 21:15 A wisdom in speaking: literally, “a mouth and wisdom.”
- 21:20–24 The actual destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in A.D. 70 upon which Luke and his community look back provides the assurance that, just as Jesus’ prediction of Jerusalem’s destruction was fulfilled, so too will be his announcement of their final redemption (Lk 21:27–28).
- 21:24 The times of the Gentiles: a period of indeterminate length separating the destruction of Jerusalem from the cosmic signs accompanying the coming of the Son of Man.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.