Luke 21:24 kjv
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Luke 21:24 nkjv
And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21:24 niv
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21:24 esv
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21:24 nlt
They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.
Luke 21 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 19:43-44 | "For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies… not leave one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." | Prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction by enemies (70 AD). |
| Mt 24:2 | "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." | Jesus' prophecy of Temple's complete destruction. |
| Mk 13:2 | "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down." | Jesus' similar prophecy about the Temple's ruin. |
| Dt 28:64 | "And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other..." | Mosaic covenant prophecy of worldwide Jewish dispersion if disobedient. |
| Lev 26:33 | "I will scatter you among the nations..." | Covenant curse of dispersion for disobedience. |
| Jer 25:9-11 | "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the Lord... make them desolate, and an astonishment, and a lasting waste." | Prophecy of Babylonian exile and desolation, setting a precedent for future exiles. |
| Lam 1:3 | "Judah has gone into captivity, because of affliction and great servitude; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest..." | Lament over Israel's past exile and scattering. |
| Ps 79:1-7 | "O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled..." | Pslam lamenting foreign invasion and defilement of Jerusalem and Temple. |
| Isa 63:18 | "Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary." | Use of "trodden down" regarding the sanctuary/inheritance. |
| Zech 12:3 | "And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples..." | Jerusalem's future burden/point of contention for nations, indicating ongoing significance. |
| Zech 14:2-3 | "For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem... Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations..." | Prophecy of future siege of Jerusalem by all nations. |
| Rom 11:25-26 | "For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery... blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved..." | Paul's concept of the "fullness of the Gentiles" directly relates to the end of Gentile times and Israel's spiritual restoration. |
| Rom 11:11 | "Did they stumble that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy." | The purpose of Israel's stumble and scattering leading to Gentile salvation. |
| Eze 36:24 | "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land." | Prophecy of Israel's physical regathering after dispersion. |
| Eze 37:21 | "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;'" | Prophecy of physical return to the land from worldwide dispersion. |
| Rev 11:2 | "But exclude the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months." | Revelation's prophecy of Jerusalem being "trodden down" by Gentiles in a future eschatological context. |
| Dan 2:44 | "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed..." | Prophecy of Gentile empires replaced by God's eternal kingdom. |
| Dan 9:27 | "...he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." | Refers to periods of desolation connected to Jerusalem, foreshadowing future Gentile power. |
| Hos 3:4-5 | "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar... Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God..." | Prophecy of Israel's long period without a temple or central leadership, followed by their return to God. |
| Acts 15:16 | "After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down..." | References God's ultimate plan to restore Israel, aligning with the end of Gentile times. |
Luke 21 verses
Luke 21 24 Meaning
This verse prophesies the comprehensive judgment upon the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem. It declares that many Jewish individuals will perish by violence (sword), others will be taken as captives and dispersed globally among all nations. Crucially, it foretells that Jerusalem itself will remain under the domination and desecration of Gentile (non-Jewish) powers for a divinely appointed period, referred to as "the times of the Gentiles," until this preordained era reaches its full completion.
Luke 21 24 Context
Luke 21:24 is part of Jesus' "Olivet Discourse," delivered shortly before His crucifixion. This discourse (Lk 21:5-36, parallels in Mt 24, Mk 13) begins with Jesus predicting the complete destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in response to a disciple's admiration of its grandeur (Lk 21:5-6). The disciples then ask about the "sign" of these things and the "end" (Lk 21:7). Jesus describes signs in the heavens, persecution of believers, and then in Lk 21:20-23, specifically warns about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, indicating its imminent desolation, urging immediate flight. Verse 24 follows as a detailed explanation of the devastating consequences for Jerusalem and its inhabitants, moving from immediate physical destruction to a prolonged period of foreign domination. Historically, these predictions were fulfilled in 70 AD with the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem, leading to the Jewish dispersion. The "times of the Gentiles" refer to the subsequent period of non-Jewish control over Jerusalem and the broader era when the focus of God's redemptive plan turned predominantly to the Gentiles.
Luke 21 24 Word analysis
- And they shall fall: kai pesountai (καὶ πεσοῦνται). The term "they" refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and by extension, the Jewish people. "Fall" signifies defeat, slaughter, and death in battle, directly related to the siege and subsequent conquest.
- by the edge of the sword: sto ma machairas (στόμα μαχαίρας). Literally, "mouth of the sword." This idiomatic expression denotes perishing by violent death in warfare, a common biblical phrase signifying widespread massacre. It underscores the brutal nature of the impending judgment.
- and shall be led away captive: kai aichmalōtisthesontai (καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται). Describes the action of taking war prisoners. It highlights forced displacement and enslavement, pointing to the widespread diaspora that followed the Roman destruction, scattering Jews across the empire.
- into all nations: eis panta ethnē (εἰς πάντα ἔθνη). "All nations" emphasizes the global reach of this dispersion. It indicates a complete scattering, contrasting with previous partial exiles to Babylon, establishing a truly worldwide Jewish diaspora. This has been historically evident.
- and Jerusalem: kai Hierousalem (καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ). The city itself, sacred to the Jews and central to their faith and national identity. Its fate is distinct from the people but directly tied to them.
- shall be trodden down: estai patoumenē (ἔσται πατουμένη). "Trodden down" means trampled underfoot, walked over. This metaphor powerfully conveys subjugation, desecration, and humiliation. It implies control, disrespect, and the imposition of foreign authority and cultural dominance over the city. It evokes images of a conqueror's army literally trampling the ground of the vanquished.
- of the Gentiles: hypo ethnōn (ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν). "Gentiles" refers to all non-Jewish peoples or nations. This phrase signifies that Jerusalem's dominion would pass from Jewish hands to successive non-Jewish powers, indicating a shift in control and spiritual custodianship.
- until: achri hou (ἄχρι οὗ). A temporal particle denoting a specific endpoint. It signifies that the Gentile domination of Jerusalem is not perpetual but has a divinely predetermined duration, suggesting an eventual reversal.
- the times of the Gentiles: kairoi ethnōn (καιροὶ ἐθνῶν). "Times" (kairoi) here means specific appointed or opportune seasons, distinct from general chronological time (chronos). It signifies divinely ordained periods or epochs during which Gentile power and influence, specifically over Jerusalem and generally in God's redemptive plan, are prominent. It implies a significant historical and theological era.
- be fulfilled: plērōthōsin (πληρωθῶσιν). Means to be completed, brought to an end, filled up, or brought to their appointed measure. This emphasizes that the duration of Gentile control is not arbitrary but according to a divine plan, signifying its termination when God's purpose for this era is accomplished.
- They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: This phrase succinctly describes the dual catastrophic fate awaiting the Jewish populace of Jerusalem. It combines military defeat with a forced global diaspora, marking an unparalleled national disaster for Israel, setting the stage for centuries of exile.
- And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled: This key phrase indicates a two-phase prophecy concerning Jerusalem: its immediate military subjugation and then its long-term physical, political, and even spiritual domination by non-Jewish powers. The "times of the Gentiles" is a critical prophetic period during which Gentile nations would exercise significant power and authority, specifically over the holy city and, more broadly, receive the primary focus of God's redemptive work, before the eventual restoration of Israel.
Luke 21 24 Bonus section
The concept of "the times of the Gentiles" is dual in nature, encompassing both Jerusalem's political subjugation to non-Jewish powers and a broader eschatological period during which the Gentile nations are the primary recipients of God's redemptive focus. Paul's discourse in Romans 11 concerning the temporary spiritual hardening of Israel and the ingathering of Gentiles provides significant theological commentary on this era. While the physical return of the Jewish people to their land in the 20th century, culminating in the re-establishment of the State of Israel, is seen by many as a major sign preceding the end of these Gentile "times," the complete "fulfilling" of this period is generally understood to refer to the full number of elect Gentiles entering the Church, and/or the final end of Gentile domination over Jerusalem and a spiritual turning back of Israel to God at Christ's return. This era's end ushers in the time when "all Israel will be saved." The prophecy thus remains highly significant for understanding the trajectory of salvation history and eschatological events.
Luke 21 24 Commentary
Luke 21:24 encapsulates a profound prophecy concerning Jerusalem and the Jewish people, articulating both immediate historical calamity and a long-term geopolitical and theological reality. The first part, foretelling perishing by the sword and global captivity, was graphically fulfilled with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the subsequent dispersion of Jews across the Roman Empire and beyond. This marked an unprecedented era for the Jewish nation, establishing a diaspora that has lasted for nearly two millennia. The brutal phrase "trodden down" signifies more than mere military occupation; it implies desecration, humiliation, and spiritual disenfranchisement, echoing Old Testament imagery of judgment. This period of Gentile dominion over Jerusalem, enduring for centuries under Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, Mamluk, Ottoman, and British rule, directly corresponds to Jesus' prophecy. The pivotal phrase "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" introduces a divine timeline, implying that this Gentile supremacy over Jerusalem is not permanent. It suggests a preordained, albeit unrevealed, end-point to this Gentile age. This specific "times" relates not only to Jerusalem's political status but also signifies an overarching period where Gentile nations are central to God's dealings, culminating in a future shift in divine focus back to Israel's restoration, as elaborated by the Apostle Paul in Rom 11:25-26 concerning the "fullness of the Gentiles." This prophecy highlights God's sovereign control over world history, even in events of severe judgment, working all things according to His purpose.