Luke 13:35 kjv

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Luke 13:35 nkjv

See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' "

Luke 13:35 niv

Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Luke 13:35 esv

Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

Luke 13:35 nlt

And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!' "

Luke 13 verses

Luke 13 35 Meaning

Luke 13:35 is Jesus' lament and prophetic declaration over Jerusalem, expressing sorrow for its rejection of Him and foretelling its coming desolation. It simultaneously offers a future hope, indicating that Jerusalem's inhabitants, representing the Jewish people, will not recognize or welcome Him until a future time when they genuinely acknowledge and proclaim Him as the Messiah, using the salutation from Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." This verse marks a definitive break in Jesus' direct prophetic ministry to the nation of Israel as a whole, preceding the Olivet Discourse and the destruction of Jerusalem, while also pointing to a future national repentance and restoration.

Luke 13 35 Context

Luke 13:35 concludes Jesus' final lament over Jerusalem, a powerful expression of His heartbroken love for the city and its inhabitants, which precedes His final journey to Jerusalem. The immediate context, verses 34-35, is Jesus expressing His yearning to "gather thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings," but they "would not." This passionate lament transitions into a definitive prophecy of judgment: their rejection of Him will lead to their "house" being left desolate. The broader chapter context includes parables calling for urgent repentance (the barren fig tree) and warnings about the exclusivity of the kingdom and future judgment (the narrow door, those who eat and drink with Jesus but are unknown). Jesus is also challenging the common expectation of immediate Messianic glory without spiritual readiness. He has just left Galilee and is resolutely heading towards Jerusalem (Lk 9:51), signifying the climax of His earthly ministry and the approaching confrontation with the religious establishment in the city. Historically and culturally, Jerusalem was the spiritual and political heart of the Jewish nation, the location of the Temple, and believed to be inviolable. Jesus' prophecy directly challenges this sense of false security, indicating divine abandonment due to national rejection of the Messiah. This represents a stark warning and a significant shift in Jesus' engagement with the nation.

Luke 13 35 Word analysis

• Behold (ἰδού, idou): An interjection demanding attention, emphasizing the profound and serious nature of the impending declaration. It signals an immediate and important revelation.
• your (ὑμῶν, hymōn): A possessive pronoun, referring specifically to the Jewish people in Jerusalem, highlighting their ownership and responsibility for what is to follow. It underscores their identity.
• house (οἶκος, oikos): In this context, it broadly refers to Jerusalem itself, its inhabitants, the Temple (the dwelling place of God, which was soon to be destroyed), or even the entire Jewish nation. It implies a place of spiritual habitation or identity that is about to be relinquished.
• is left (ἀφίεται, aphíetai): From the verb aphiēmi, meaning "to send away," "release," "forgive," but here used as "abandoned," "forsaken," or "given up." It conveys divine withdrawal or judicial abandonment. This is in contrast to Jesus' previous desire to "gather" them.
• unto you (ὑμῖν, hymin): Reinforces the personal nature of this judgment; it's their house that is being abandoned to them, indicating the consequences of their own choice.
• desolate (ἔρημος, erēmos): An adjective meaning "deserted," "waste," "uninhabited," "ruined." It conveys the utter emptiness and destruction that will befall the "house" due to God's departure from it. It's a powerful descriptor of divine judgment.
• and verily I say unto you (λέγω ὑμῖν, legō hymin): An emphatic statement, literally "I say to you." Jesus asserts His divine authority and the certainty of His prophecy.
• Ye shall not see me (οὐ μὴ ἴδητέ με, ou mē idētē me): This Greek construction uses a strong double negative (ou mē), indicating an absolute prohibition or emphatic denial. It means "you will absolutely not see me" or "you will by no means see me." It signifies Jesus' definitive departure from their presence, marking the cessation of His earthly ministry among them until a future time.
• until (ἕως, heōs): A temporal conjunction introducing a condition or a future point in time. It indicates a temporary suspension or separation, not a permanent one. This "until" clause implies a definite future event will reverse the current state.
• the time come (ἥξει ὅτε, hēxei hote): Literally "it comes when," referring to a specific future moment or era. This is not indefinite but points to a precise eschatological timing in God's plan.
• when ye shall say (ἐρεῖτε, ereite): Implies a collective and sincere acknowledgment and utterance from the Jewish people. This is not a forced statement but a genuine national spiritual recognition and welcome.
• Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, eulogēmenos ho erchomenos en onomati Kyriou): This is a direct quote from Ps 118:26. It's a Messianic acclamation.
  • Blessed (εὐλογημένος, eulogēmenos): Divinely favored, truly happy.
  • he that cometh (ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ho erchomenos): The coming one, a clear Messianic title, emphasizing Jesus as the expected Messiah.
  • in the name of the Lord (ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, en onomati Kyriou): Acting with the authority, character, and power of God (Yahweh). It signifies legitimate divine appointment. While shouted by some during the Triumphal Entry, Jesus here predicts a future time when the nation as a whole will genuinely mean it, indicating repentance and belief.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate": This powerful pronouncement conveys judgment and abandonment. "Your house" implies ownership, yet also that the judgment belongs to them. The verb "left" or "abandoned" (ἀφίεται) carries the weight of God's departure from a defiled or rejected sanctuary/people. "Desolate" highlights the impending destruction and emptiness resulting from this divine withdrawal, reflecting Old Testament prophecies of judgment (Jer 22:5, Lev 26:33) upon an unfaithful Israel. It is a direct polemic against the idea of unconditional divine protection for Jerusalem or the Temple.
• "and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me": Jesus’ emphatic declaration ("verily I say unto you") underscores the certainty of His statement. "Ye shall not see me" indicates a complete cessation of His visible presence and Messianic work among them as a nation for a significant period. This refers to the end of His public ministry leading to the Cross and Resurrection, and subsequently, His ascension. This prophetic pronouncement marks a turning point from a public, national appeal to a focus on the Church for a specific time, while the nation remains hardened "in part" (Rom 11:25).
• "until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord": This "until" clause is crucial. It promises a future point of national spiritual reversal. It means Jesus will return and be seen by them, but only after a profound shift in their spiritual posture—from rejection to full recognition and welcome. Their utterance of Psalm 118:26 will signify genuine repentance, a recognition of Jesus as their true Messiah, and a fervent welcome for His Second Coming. This provides a bridge of hope amidst the judgment, pointing to a future national salvation and the ultimate reconciliation of Israel with their Messiah (Rom 11:26). The phrase encapsulates Israel's past failure (not truly acknowledging Him as such at His first advent) and future triumph (genuinely acclaiming Him upon His return).

Luke 13 35 Bonus section

This verse carries profound implications for understanding God's prophetic timeline, particularly concerning Israel. The "until" clause is a key hermeneutical pointer: it means that the period of Israel's national hardening and blindness concerning Jesus is not permanent, but has a divinely ordained duration. This implies a future revival and conversion of a significant portion of the Jewish people, which will then precede and coincide with the Second Coming of Christ. Scholars often connect this to the eschatological prophecies of Israel's end-time spiritual awakening and mourning (e.g., Zech 12:10) as well as Paul's exposition on the future salvation of "all Israel" (Rom 11:26). The Triumphal Entry, where a limited crowd indeed chanted Ps 118:26, serves as a poignant contrast. While they offered the Messianic acclamation, Jesus understood that the nation's heart was not truly prepared to welcome Him as King in His fullness. Thus, He awaited a future, genuine cry of recognition, unmixed with political aspiration or superficial excitement, that would signal a repentant nation truly welcoming Him "in the name of the Lord."

Luke 13 35 Commentary

Luke 13:35 encapsulates Jesus' heartbroken prophecy concerning Jerusalem and, by extension, the Jewish nation. His deep sorrow, expressed in the preceding verse, gives way to a solemn declaration of divine judgment. The "house" of Israel, specifically Jerusalem and its Temple, will be "left...desolate" as a consequence of their collective rejection of their Messiah. This foreshadowed the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70, yet the desolation extended beyond mere physical ruin, signifying the withdrawal of God's presence and blessing from a nation that largely spurned its long-awaited King.

Crucially, the verse introduces an "until" clause, transforming the judgment into a period of divine delay rather than a permanent abandonment. "Ye shall not see me" indicates Jesus' departure from their visible presence and His shift from national ministry to building His Church during the present age. However, this period of separation is temporary. He promises to return and be recognized when Jerusalem, representing the Jewish people, experiences a spiritual transformation and genuinely cries out with the Messianic welcome of Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." This points to a future, definitive national repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Messiah at His Second Coming, a hope reiterated by Old Testament prophets and affirmed by the Apostle Paul in his discourse on Israel's future (Rom 11). Thus, Luke 13:35 is both a pronouncement of immediate judgment and a beacon of eschatological hope for Israel's ultimate restoration and welcome of their returning Lord.