Luke 17:35 kjv
Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:35 nkjv
Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.
Luke 17:35 niv
Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."
Luke 17:35 esv
There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."
Luke 17:35 nlt
Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. "
Luke 17 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 17:26-27 | Just as it was in the days of Noah... the flood came and destroyed them all. | Judgment removes the unprepared. |
| Lk 17:28-30 | Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot... fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. | Judgment removes the unrighteous. |
| Lk 17:34 | On that night two will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. | Parallel illustration of sudden separation. |
| Mt 24:37-39 | As were the days of Noah... they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. | "Swept away" parallels "taken" in judgment. |
| Mt 24:40-41 | Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the handmill; one will be taken and the other left. | Direct parallel, confirming separation. |
| Mt 25:31-33 | When the Son of Man comes... He will separate people from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. | General principle of final judgment. |
| Jn 15:2 | Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away... | Removal due to lack of spiritual fruit. |
| 1 Cor 3:12-15 | If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. | Separation by fire; some preserved. |
| Rev 19:11-21 | Description of Christ's return for judgment against the wicked. | Ultimate removal of enemies. |
| Rev 14:14-20 | The harvest of the earth... the winepress of the wrath of God. | Judgment as a process of "taking" some away. |
| Joel 3:12-14 | Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near. | Prophecy of final gathering for judgment. |
| Zech 14:1-2 | The day of the Lord is coming... all the nations gathered for battle against Jerusalem. | Judgment and separation of nations. |
| Mal 3:2-3 | Who can endure the day of his coming? For he is like a refiner's fire... | Purification and separation by judgment. |
| Is 26:19-21 | Your dead shall live... the earth will give birth to the dead... for behold, the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth. | Those "hidden" from judgment vs. those punished. |
| Zeph 1:2-3 | "I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth," declares the Lord. "I will sweep away man and beast..." | Widespread judgment and removal. |
| Mt 7:22-23 | "I never knew you; depart from Me..." | Those "taken away" from God's presence. |
| Mt 13:41-43 | The Son of Man will send out His angels... and throw them into the fiery furnace. | Removal of evildoers at the end of the age. |
| 2 Thes 1:7-9 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God... | Revelation for judgment. |
| Heb 12:26-27 | ...the shaking of what can be shaken... in order that what cannot be shaken may remain. | Distinction between temporary and enduring. |
| 1 Pet 4:17-18 | For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God... what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? | Judgment's initial and ultimate separation. |
Luke 17 verses
Luke 17 35 Meaning
Luke 17:35 declares that during the Son of Man's return, an instantaneous and definitive separation will occur among people engaged in ordinary daily life. Of two women working at a grinding mill, one will be removed, and the other will remain. This illustrates the sudden, selective nature of divine judgment and salvation.
Luke 17 35 Context
Luke 17:35 is part of Jesus' teaching on the coming of the Son of Man (Lk 17:20-37). Following questions from the Pharisees about the kingdom of God, Jesus warns His disciples about false expectations and instead describes the sudden, unexpected, and unmistakable nature of His return. He uses comparisons to the days of Noah and Lot to illustrate that life will continue normally up until the very moment of divine intervention. Verses 34, 35, and 36 (found in some manuscripts) give three vivid scenarios: two people in a bed, two women grinding, and two men in a field, where an immediate and differential separation occurs. The overarching message emphasizes watchfulness and readiness because His coming will entail a decisive separation between those who are judged and those who are saved.
Luke 17 35 Word analysis
two women: Greek dúo (δύο) esontai (ἔσονται) alēthousai (ἀλήθουσαι). "Two" denotes the paired, often routine nature of their labor. "Will be" (esontai) highlights the future tense and certainty. "Grinding" (alēthousai) is a present participle, indicating an ongoing activity, an everyday chore performed typically by women, highlighting that ordinary life proceeds normally just before the decisive event.
grinding together: Greek epi to autó (ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό). Epi ("upon," "at") with to autó ("the same") denotes sharing the same location or being engaged in the same immediate activity. It underscores their physical proximity and common life activity right before separation. They are close, but fate differs.
one: Greek hē mía (ἡ μία). "The one." Singular, indefinite article highlighting an individual choice or destiny.
will be taken: Greek paralēphthēsetai (παραληφθήσεται). Future passive of paralambánō. This term can mean "to take along," "to receive," or "to take away." In the context of Luke 17's analogies to Noah and Lot (where those swept away were those judged/destroyed, and those left were saved), and Matthew 24:39 ("the flood came and swept them all away"), taken strongly refers to being taken away in judgment or removal from the earth, aligning with destruction.
and the other: Greek kaì hē hetéra (καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα). "And the other." Referring to the second person of the pair.
left: Greek aphethēsetai (ἀφεθήσεται). Future passive of aphiēmi. This can mean "to leave," "to forsake," "to allow to go." In the context, "left" implies remaining behind to inherit the kingdom or to experience salvation and preservation on the earth, escaping the judgment that takes others.
two women grinding together; one will be taken, and the other left: This phrase highlights the radical, decisive nature of the coming of the Son of Man. People living side-by-side, sharing mundane tasks, will face different fates instantly. It is not a communal judgment but an individual one, regardless of proximity or shared experience.
Luke 17 35 Bonus section
The phrase "one will be taken and the other left" has often been interpreted in popular culture as referring to the "Rapture," where believers are "taken" to heaven while unbelievers are "left behind" on Earth. However, a deeper analysis within its immediate biblical context, particularly Luke 17:26-30 (the Flood and Lot's destruction) and Matt 24:37-39 ("the flood came and took them all away"), suggests the opposite meaning. In those analogies, "taken away" implies removal for judgment, while "left" or "remaining" signifies preservation from judgment. Therefore, the ones "taken" are those judged, while the ones "left" are the saved who remain to enter the new era. This perspective underscores that divine judgment is both discerning and absolute, affecting individuals even amidst close associations and shared mundane activities.
Luke 17 35 Commentary
Luke 17:35 concisely conveys a core truth about the Son of Man's coming: it will be sudden, decisive, and will result in an immediate, radical separation. The image of two women at a grinding mill is chosen to illustrate the ordinariness of life leading up to this extraordinary event. Their common activity underscores that this separation is not based on what they are doing but on their spiritual state, their readiness for the Lord's return. The passive voice of "will be taken" and "will be left" points to a divine agent of action. Consistent with the immediate context (Noah and Lot, where those "taken away" or "swept away" were those destroyed by judgment, and those "left" were those preserved), "taken" here refers to removal for judgment, while "left" implies preservation and entry into the Lord's kingdom. This verse serves as a sober warning to live in continuous watchfulness and preparedness.