Luke 21:26 kjv
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luke 21:26 nkjv
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Luke 21:26 niv
People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
Luke 21:26 esv
people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Luke 21:26 nlt
People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Luke 21 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Distress and Fear of Mankind | ||
| Isa 13:8 | Terror and pangs will seize them... will look aghast at one another. | Describes widespread fear and agony. |
| Jer 30:6 | ...why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor? | Portrays distress like labor pains. |
| Dan 5:6 | ...the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. | Belshazzar's terror and physical collapse. |
| Deut 28:65-67 | Your life shall hang in doubt before you; night and day you shall be in dread. | Prophetic curse of overwhelming fear. |
| Ps 107:26 | They mount up to the heavens; they go down to the depths; their soul melts away. | Describes fear akin to soul failure. |
| Rev 6:15-17 | The kings of the earth...hid themselves...for the great day of His wrath has come. | Global elites overcome with fear, seeking to hide. |
| Cosmic Signs and Shaking | ||
| Isa 13:10 | The stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light... | Describes darkened celestial bodies. |
| Isa 34:4 | All the host of heaven shall dissolve, and the skies roll up like a scroll. | Depicts a dissolution of the heavens. |
| Hag 2:6-7 | Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth. | Prophecy of universal shaking by God. |
| Heb 12:26-27 | "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven." | References Haggai, signifying removal of creation. |
| Mt 24:29 | The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light... | Direct parallel prophecy of celestial signs. |
| Mk 13:25 | And the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. | Parallel account of cosmic disturbance. |
| Joel 2:30-31 | And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth... | Prophecy of portents and celestial disruption. |
| Acts 2:19-20 | And I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below... | Peter quoting Joel, pointing to prophetic fulfillment. |
| End Times and Christ's Return | ||
| Lk 21:25 | There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; on the earth distress... | Immediate preceding context, setting the scene. |
| Lk 21:28 | Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads. | The believer's contrasting response of hope. |
| Lk 21:36 | Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape... | Exhortation to vigilance in the face of these events. |
| Believer's Hope and Perseverance | ||
| Lk 21:19 | By your endurance you will gain your lives. | Endurance during persecution and tribulation. |
| Jas 5:8 | Be patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. | Encouragement for believers amidst anticipation. |
| Rom 5:5 | And hope does not put us to shame... | Believer's hope provides stability. |
| Rom 8:24-25 | For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. | Enduring hope for what is yet unseen. |
| Titus 2:13 | Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God... | Believer's hopeful expectation of Christ's return. |
Luke 21 verses
Luke 21 26 Meaning
Luke 21:26 describes a state of extreme human terror and despair during the end times, prior to the second coming of Christ. It pictures humanity's inner being failing and succumbing to overwhelming fear as people witness catastrophic global events. This dread arises from the expectation and understanding that the cosmic order itself, referred to as the "powers of heaven," will be violently disrupted, indicating an unparalleled collapse of stability and familiar reality.
Luke 21 26 Context
Luke 21:26 is part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, delivered to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. This discourse, spanning Luke 21:5-36, covers prophecies regarding the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (fulfilled in AD 70) and signs pointing to His Second Coming at the end of the age. Verse 26 falls within the section specifically detailing the global cosmic disturbances and distress that will precede Christ's return. The historical context for the original audience, primarily Jewish people initially, would have been an expectation of a political Messiah and a visible kingdom. Jesus shifts their focus to catastrophic signs, not limited to Jerusalem, but affecting the entire "oikoumenē" (inhabited world), challenging the narrow nationalistic eschatological views and expanding it to cosmic proportions.
Luke 21 26 Word analysis
Men's hearts failing them: (Greek: apopsychontōn anthrōpōn apo phobou)
- Men's: (anthrōpōn) Refers to humanity in general.
- hearts: (psychōn) Signifies the inner life, soul, mind, emotions, and life force. Not just a physical organ, but the core of being.
- failing: (apopsychontōn) Literally "breathing out," "fainting," or "expiring." It conveys a profound physiological and psychological collapse due to intense emotional distress. Implies loss of composure, vitality, and consciousness. This is more severe than simple fear; it is the utter breakdown of the human spirit.
- them for fear: (apo phobou) Indicates the cause of the fainting – originating from, or caused by, intense terror or dread. The fear is so overwhelming it leads to physical and mental collapse.
and for looking after: (Greek: kai prosdokias)
- and for: (kai) Connects the two reasons for human despair.
- looking after: (prosdokias) This term means "expectation," "waiting for," "looking forward to." In this context, it implies an anxious, dread-filled expectation rather than a hopeful one. The fear is fueled not just by present events but by the dreadful anticipation of what is yet to come.
those things which are coming on the earth: (Greek: tōn eperchomenōn tē oikoumenē)
- those things which are coming: (tōn eperchomenōn) Future-oriented events, indicating active and unfolding judgment or crisis. It speaks of divine agency behind these coming events.
- on the earth: (tē oikoumenē) Literally "the inhabited world." This emphasizes the global and universal nature of these impending calamities, affecting all humanity, not just one region or nation. It underscores the unparalleled scope of the judgment.
for the powers of heaven shall be shaken: (Greek: hai dynameis tōn ouranōn saleuthēsontai)
- for: (gar) Introduces the reason or explanation for the previous statement. The "failing hearts" are a direct consequence of this cosmic event.
- the powers of heaven: (hai dynameis tōn ouranōn) This phrase has significant eschatological weight. It refers to cosmic forces, celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars), or perhaps angelic powers or spiritual authorities governing the heavens. The idea is that the very structure and order of the cosmos are destabilized.
- shall be shaken: (saleuthēsontai) Passive verb, meaning "to be agitated," "made to totter," "overthrown," "disturbed violently." It indicates a severe and widespread disruption of the established order of the heavens, not merely meteorological phenomena but fundamental cosmic chaos.
Luke 21 26 Bonus section
The concept of "failing hearts" echoes Old Testament prophecies where distress causes physical weakness and panic (e.g., Isa 13:7-8). This physical manifestation of fear highlights the total incapacitation that comes upon those without God's hope. The phrase "powers of heaven" being shaken directly connects to parallel Olivet Discourse accounts (Mt 24:29; Mk 13:25) and Old Testament prophecies (Isa 13:13; 34:4; Hag 2:6), establishing a consistent prophetic theme of cosmic disorder as a precursor to God's ultimate intervention and the arrival of the "day of the Lord." This emphasizes that the coming events will transcend all previous natural disasters, signifying a direct divine action altering the fabric of creation. The focus here is not on the details of destruction but on the overwhelming emotional and psychological impact it will have on unredeemed humanity, contrasting sharply with the command for believers to "straighten up and raise their heads" (Lk 21:28) in anticipation of salvation.
Luke 21 26 Commentary
Luke 21:26 paints a vivid picture of extreme human desolation preceding Christ's glorious return. Unlike the distress and perplexity mentioned in Luke 21:25, this verse describes a profound collapse of the human spirit. The terror is so intense it causes people to faint or effectively lose their will to live. This state is induced not only by the present chaotic global events but, more profoundly, by the dreadful realization and anticipation of what these events signify: the total breakdown of the natural order and familiar reality. The mention of "the powers of heaven" being "shaken" suggests more than mere earthly turmoil; it points to a cosmic shaking, impacting celestial bodies and perhaps unseen spiritual forces. This unprecedented instability removes any sense of security, driving unbelievers into utter despair. For believers, however, these very signs, while terrifying for the world, serve as markers of redemption drawing near, turning what for others is a source of despair into a cause for hope (Luke 21:28). This serves as a warning against complacency and an encouragement for vigilance and spiritual preparedness.