Luke 21 23

Luke 21:23 kjv

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

Luke 21:23 nkjv

But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

Luke 21:23 niv

How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.

Luke 21:23 esv

Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.

Luke 21:23 nlt

How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people.

Luke 21 verses

Luke 21 23 Meaning

This verse prophesies a time of severe suffering and judgment, specifically targeting Jerusalem during its future destruction. It expresses profound sorrow for pregnant and nursing women, recognizing their extreme vulnerability and compounded distress during such a catastrophic event, as their mobility and ability to protect themselves or flee would be severely hindered. The "great distress" (or "tribulation") and "wrath" indicate a divine judgment upon the land of Judea and its people for their rejection of God's Anointed One.

Luke 21 23 Context

Luke 21:23 is part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, delivered to His disciples as He taught in the Temple courts. This discourse (Luke 21:5-36) contains prophecies concerning the destruction of the Second Temple, the Roman siege of Jerusalem, and signs leading to His second coming. Specifically, verses 20-24 describe the coming desolation of Jerusalem, marked by Roman armies besieging the city in A.D. 70. Jesus’ words vividly portray the unimaginable suffering that would befall its inhabitants, culminating in this warning about pregnant and nursing women, who would find themselves in a uniquely dire and inescapable situation during such an event. The "wrath against this people" points to the consequences of Israel's long history of disobedience and, decisively, their rejection of the Messiah.

Luke 21 23 Word analysis

• Woe (οὐαί - ouai): An interjection expressing grief, lamentation, and condemnation. It is not a curse or wish, but an expression of inevitable doom and profound pity for those on whom such calamity will fall, coupled with a solemn warning.
• to those who are pregnant (ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις - en gastri echousais): Lit. "having in belly." This emphasizes the physical state of being with child. Such women would be heavily burdened, slow-moving, and vulnerable to violence and hunger during a siege and attempt to flee.
• and to nursing mothers (θηλαζούσαις - thēlazousais): Refers to mothers who are breastfeeding their infants. This condition, like pregnancy, greatly limited mobility, increased nutritional needs for both mother and child, and presented a moral dilemma of caring for the infant versus ensuring their own survival during flight.
• in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις - en ekeinais tais hēmerais): Refers to the specific period of the prophesied judgment and siege of Jerusalem (A.D. 66-70), as indicated by the preceding verses.
• For there will be great distress (ἀνάγκη μεγάλη - anankē megalē): "Anankē" denotes necessity, distress, anguish, or calamity. "Megale" intensifies this to "great" or "terrible" distress, often implying a compelled suffering. This refers to the severe, inescapable tribulation of the siege, encompassing famine, disease, and violence.
• in the land (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς - epi tēs gēs): Refers specifically to the land of Israel, or more narrowly, Judea and particularly Jerusalem. This limits the scope of the immediate prophetic fulfillment to a specific geographical region, rather than a global catastrophe at that time.
• and wrath (ὀργή - orgē): Signifies intense anger, indignation, and specifically, divine judgment or vengeance. This is not a human emotion, but God's settled, righteous antagonism toward sin and rebellion. It indicates the judgment on Jerusalem was divinely ordained.
• against this people (τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ - tō laō toutō): Specifically refers to the Jewish people residing in Jerusalem and Judea at that time, especially those who had rejected their Messiah, making them recipients of God's judicial wrath.

• "Woe to those who are pregnant and to nursing mothers": This phrase highlights the extreme difficulty and added suffering of these vulnerable groups during siege warfare. Their limited mobility would make escape nearly impossible, and the conditions of famine and violence would be unbearable for both mother and child. It underscores the tragic and non-discriminatory nature of the impending judgment.
• "great distress in the land and wrath against this people": This conjoins the historical suffering experienced during the Roman siege (the "great distress") with its underlying theological cause: "wrath against this people." It clarifies that the calamity was not merely an act of war, but a divine judgment, a consequence of the nation's spiritual apostasy and rejection of God's Messiah.

Luke 21 23 Bonus section

This prophecy implicitly reverses the long-held Biblical blessing of fertility and numerous offspring, turning what was once a sign of God's favor into a vulnerability during judgment. The phrase "wrath against this people" also serves as a sharp polemic against any Jewish understanding that their national identity alone guaranteed divine protection or favored status despite their rejection of Jesus. The fulfillment of this prophecy in A.D. 70 demonstrated the solemnity and certainty of Christ's words concerning the temporal judgment on Jerusalem before His final eschatological return.

Luke 21 23 Commentary

Luke 21:23 stands as a sobering pronouncement from Jesus, lamenting the dire fate awaiting pregnant and nursing women during the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The "woe" is not a curse but a deeply compassionate expression of pity and foresight for those most ill-equipped to escape or endure such unprecedented suffering. In ancient sieges, these groups faced starvation, disease, and violence with no viable options for survival or protection. The verse underlines that the impending catastrophe was more than a mere historical event; it was "great distress" culminating in divine "wrath" against a people who had repeatedly defied God and, finally, rejected His Son. It signifies a painful, judicial visitation, where even the blessed state of motherhood turns into a source of immense suffering. This prophecy was tragically fulfilled, with historical accounts corroborating the horrific conditions endured by Jerusalem's inhabitants, especially mothers and children.