Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options

Luke 21:1-19
New English Translation

The Widow’s Offering

21 Jesus[a] looked up[b] and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box.[c] 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.[d] 3 He[e] said, “I tell you the truth,[f] this poor widow has put in more than all of them.[g] 4 For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth.[h] But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”[i]

The Signs of the End of the Age

5 Now[j] while some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned[k] with beautiful stones and offerings,[l] Jesus[m] said, 6 “As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another.[n] All will be torn down!”[o] 7 So[p] they asked him,[q] “Teacher, when will these things[r] happen? And what will be the sign that[s] these things are about to take place?” 8 He[t] said, “Watch out[u] that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’[v] and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them! 9 And when you hear of wars and rebellions,[w] do not be afraid.[x] For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”[y]

Persecution of Disciples

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 21:1 tn Grk “He”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  2. Luke 21:1 tn Grk “looking up, he saw.” The participle ἀναβλέψας (anablepsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  3. Luke 21:1 tn On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazophulakion), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200), 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294); and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Mark 12:41; John 8:20).
  4. Luke 21:2 sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.
  5. Luke 21:3 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  6. Luke 21:3 tn Grk “Truly, I say to you.”
  7. Luke 21:3 sn Has put in more than all of them. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.
  8. Luke 21:4 tn Grk “out of what abounded to them.”
  9. Luke 21:4 tn Or “put in her entire livelihood.”
  10. Luke 21:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  11. Luke 21:5 sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 (15.380-425); J. W. 5.5 (5.184-227) and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.
  12. Luke 21:5 tn For the translation of ἀνάθημα (anathēma) as “offering” see L&N 53.18.
  13. Luke 21:5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. Luke 21:6 sn With the statement days will come when not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in a.d. 70.
  15. Luke 21:6 tn Grk “the days will come when not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down.”
  16. 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.
  17. Luke 21:7 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
  18. 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.
  19. Luke 21:7 tn Grk “when.”
  20. Luke 21:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  21. Luke 21:8 tn Or “Be on guard.”
  22. Luke 21:8 tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”
  23. Luke 21:9 tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).
  24. 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).
  25. 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.
  26. Luke 21:10 tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
  27. Luke 21:11 sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.
  28. 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.
  29. Luke 21:11 sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.
  30. 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.
  31. Luke 21:12 tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”
  32. 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.
  33. Luke 21:12 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  34. Luke 21:13 tn Grk “This will turn out to you for [a] testimony.”
  35. Luke 21:14 tn Grk “determine in your hearts.”
  36. Luke 21:14 tn This term could refer to rehearsing a speech or a dance. On its syntax, see BDF §392.2.
  37. Luke 21:15 tn Grk “a mouth.” It is a metonymy and refers to the reply the Lord will give to them.
  38. Luke 21:15 tn Grk “and wisdom.”
  39. Luke 21:16 sn To confess Christ might well mean rejection by one’s own family, even by parents.
  40. 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.
  41. Luke 21:17 sn See Luke 6:22, 27; 1 Cor 1:25-31.
  42. Luke 21:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  43. 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.
  44. Luke 21:19 sn By your endurance is a call to remain faithful, because trusting in Jesus is the means to life.
  45. 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.
  46. 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.
Next
Luke 20
Luke 22
Next
dropdown
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.