Luke21

English Standard Version

TranslationKJV WEB ASV ESV NIV NASB NKJV NLT

¹ and the the ,

² he small .

³ he , , I , has in of them.

⁴ of , out in she to .

⁵ while were the , it was with , he ,

⁶As for these you , the will there will be here one will be .

⁷ they , , will these , will be the these are to ?

⁸ he , that you are led . will , , he! , The is at ! Do .

⁹ you of , do be , these , the will be at .

¹⁰ he to , will , .

¹¹ will , and various . there will .

¹² they will you, you up the , and you will be .

¹³This will .

¹⁴ it to how to ,

¹⁵ will a , of will be to .

¹⁶You will be , of they will .

¹⁷You .

¹⁸ a will .

¹⁹ you will .

²⁰ you , has come .

²¹ let those who are the , let those who are the , let those who are out the ,

²² of , to is .

²³ women who are for those who are ! there will the against .

²⁴ will by the of the be , will the , the of the are .

²⁵ there will , the of because of the of the the ,

²⁶ with of what is on the . the of the will be .

²⁷ they will the of a .

²⁸ when these to , , is .

²⁹ he a : at the , the .

³⁰As as they in leaf, you and the .

³¹ , these taking , you the of .

³² , I to , will has taken .

³³ will , will .

³⁴ be of this , a .

³⁵ it will who the of the .

³⁶ , you may have to these that are to , to the of .

³⁷ every he the , at he and the .

³⁸ early in the the came the to .

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Luke 21.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Christ commends a poor widow. (1–4). His prophecy. (5–28). Christ exhorts to watchfulness. (29–38).

vv1-4

From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly give for the relief of the poor, and the support of God's worship, is given unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in our hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service. Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have a soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; how happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!

vv5-28

With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with. God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you. This was remarkably fulfilled after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples wisdom and utterance. Though we may be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot be losers by him, in the end. It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous, trying times, to secure the safety of our own souls. It is by Christian patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all those impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophecy before us much as those Old Testament prophecies, which, together with their great object, embrace, or glance at some nearer object of importance to the church. Having given an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those things would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the truth of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, the words of Jesus shall not pass away. They also remind us to pray for those times when neither the real, nor the spiritual Jerusalem, shall any longer be trodden down by the Gentiles, and when both Jews and Gentiles shall be turned to the Lord. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; and then had the churches rest. When he comes to judge the world, he will redeem all that are his from their troubles. So fully did the Divine judgements come upon the Jews, that their city is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pass unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatenings against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word was true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.

vv29-38

Christ tells his disciples to observe the signs of the times, which they might judge by. He charges them to look upon the ruin of the Jewish nation as near. Yet this race and family of Abraham shall not be rooted out; it shall survive as a nation, and be found as prophesied, when the Son of man shall be revealed. He cautions them against being secure and sensual. This command is given to all Christ's disciples, Take heed to yourselves, that ye be not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe, if we are carnally secure. Our danger is, lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. Lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, that be the furthest from our thoughts, which ought to be nearest our hearts. For so it will come upon the most of men, who dwell upon the earth, and mind earthly things only, and have no converse with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them. Here see what should be our aim, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgements of God are abroad, we may not be in the common calamity, or it may not be that to us which it is to others. Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Those who never yet sought Christ, let them now go unto him; those who never yet were humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humbled. Watch therefore, and pray always. Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those shall be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world, who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, employ, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, that whenever he comes we may be found watching.

Key Words

JesusG1161Greek

δέ (dé): but, and, etc.

looked upG308Greek

ἀναβλέπω (anablépō): to look up; by implication, to recover sight

sawG1492Greek

εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know

richG4145Greek

πλούσιος (ploúsios): wealthy; figuratively, abounding with

puttingG906Greek

βάλλω (bállō): to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense)

theirG846Greek

αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

giftsG1435Greek

δῶρον (dōron): a present; specially, a sacrifice

intoG1519Greek

εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases

offering boxG1049Greek

γαζοφυλάκιον (gazophylákion): a treasure-house, i.e. a court in the temple for the collection-boxes

aG5100Greek

τὶς (tìs): some or any person or object

Cross References

Luke 21

v1Mark 12:41-44thematic

Direct parallel account of Jesus observing the treasury and the poor widow's offering.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v5Matthew 24:1thematic

Direct Matthean parallel to the disciples admiring the stones of the temple.