Luke 21 32

Luke 21:32 kjv

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Luke 21:32 nkjv

Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.

Luke 21:32 niv

"Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Luke 21:32 esv

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.

Luke 21:32 nlt

I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place.

Luke 21 verses

Luke 21 32 Meaning

Luke 21:32, spoken by Jesus within His Olivet Discourse, conveys His unwavering declaration that the events He has just foretold—including signs of the times, the fall of Jerusalem, and the eventual coming of the Son of Man—would definitively begin to unfold and some, if not all, would be fulfilled within the lifetime or continued existence of "this generation." This verse emphasizes the certainty and imminent nature of divine prophecy.

Luke 21 32 Context

Luke 21:32 is found within Jesus' extensive eschatological teaching known as the Olivet Discourse (Luke 21:5-36). The discourse begins with Jesus prophesying the complete destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in response to the disciples' admiration for its grandeur (vv. 5-6). Their subsequent question, "Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" (v. 7), prompts Jesus' detailed prophetic response. He first describes general signs like wars, earthquakes, and persecutions (vv. 8-19). Then, specifically, He foretells the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem (vv. 20-24), identifying it as the "days of vengeance" and the fulfillment of the "times of the Gentiles." Immediately following, He describes cosmic disturbances preceding His glorious Second Coming (vv. 25-28). The parable of the fig tree (vv. 29-31) serves to illustrate that these signs are a sure indicator of the nearness of the Kingdom of God. Verse 32 provides a solemn, definitive statement affirming the certainty and timeline of the events detailed in the preceding prophecy (vv. 8-31), asserting that the "generation" present at the time of His speaking would witness the beginning or full realization of these prophecies. Historically, the destruction of Jerusalem occurred in 70 AD, approximately 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, falling within a typical understanding of a single generation's lifespan.

Luke 21 32 Word analysis

• "Truly" (Ἀμὴν - Amēn): A direct transliteration from Hebrew, frequently used by Jesus to introduce an absolute truth or a solemn, weighty declaration. It conveys certainty and the divine authority behind His words, demanding the listener's full attention and belief.
• "I tell you" (λέγω ὑμῖν - legō hymin): "I say to you (plural)." Jesus addresses His disciples directly, affirming the authenticity and truthfulness of His forthcoming statement. This phrase highlights His role as the ultimate revealer of truth and future events.
• "this generation" (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη - hē genea hautē): This is a key phrase prone to varying interpretations.
  • "generation" (γενεὰ - genea): Can denote:
    1. Contemporaries: The group of people living at a specific time (e.g., those alive when Jesus spoke, a period of about 30-40 years).
    2. Race/Lineage: A particular ethnic group, especially the Jewish people, implying their continuous existence through time.
    3. Kind of People: A specific type or moral character of people, often pejoratively (e.g., "evil and unbelieving generation").
  • "this" (αὕτη - hautē): A demonstrative pronoun that points to a specific, definite "generation" in view, underscoring its precise nature rather than a general one.
• "will certainly not pass away" (οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ - ou mē parelthē): A very strong, emphatic negation in Greek. The double negative (ou mē) expresses absolute certainty, meaning "it will by no means pass away" or "it absolutely will not vanish or cease to exist." It ensures that the specified generation will endure or remain present for the fulfillment of the events.
• "until" (ἕως ἂν - heōs an): A temporal conjunction establishing a timeframe or condition. It means "up to the time when" or "before," indicating the continuation of the initial action ("this generation will not pass away") right up to the point of the subsequent action's fulfillment.
• "all these things" (πάντα γένηται - panta genētai): Refers to the totality of the prophetic events described by Jesus in the preceding verses (Luke 21:8-28).
  • "all" (πάντα - panta): Signifies completeness or the entire scope of the aforementioned prophecies.
  • "have happened" (γένηται - genētai): From the verb ginomai, meaning "to come to pass," "to take place," "to be fulfilled," or "to occur." It signifies the realization or culmination of the predicted events.

Words-group analysis:

• "Truly I tell you, this generation": This powerful opening highlights Jesus' authority and solemn promise concerning the timeline. The emphasis is on a specific generation that will be uniquely involved in witnessing significant prophetic fulfillments.
• "will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened": This crucial phrase establishes a definitive link between the endurance of "this generation" and the complete occurrence of the prophesied events. The strongest negation emphasizes that the prophecy will surely find its manifestation and conclusion within a time period observable by, or pertaining to, that generation. The debate often lies in whether "all these things" encompasses solely the destruction of Jerusalem or includes the second coming, or if "this generation" refers to His contemporaries or a larger ethno-religious group. Luke's context typically favors the former, as the fall of Jerusalem fits neatly within a single lifetime.

Luke 21 32 Bonus section

The emphatic double negative ou mē (οὐ μή) is used only in the most forceful prohibitions or denials in the New Testament. Its presence in Luke 21:32, "will certainly not pass away," signifies an absolute impossibility of failure for Jesus' word, lending profound gravity and divine guarantee to the declaration. This highlights Jesus' divine authority not just in delivering prophecies but in guaranteeing their occurrence. The connection between "this generation" and "all these things" underscores the theme of imminence within God's prophetic timetable, demonstrating that divine promises are not merely distant future events but have specific, tangible beginnings and significant fulfillments that God's people can anticipate and observe. The passage thereby encourages vigilance and perseverance among believers (Luke 21:36), assuring them that the Lord's words are eternally steadfast.

Luke 21 32 Commentary

Luke 21:32 is a central interpretive verse within the Olivet Discourse, conveying Jesus’ absolute assurance of His prophecies' fulfillment. The most common understanding, particularly within Luke’s context, views "this generation" as referring to Jesus' contemporaries. Given that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD—a significant portion of the "all these things" He described (Lk 21:20-24)—occurred within approximately 40 years, this interpretation suggests that a large part of His prophecy was fulfilled within the lifetime of the people listening to Him. The strong double negative, "will certainly not pass away," underscores the unfailing nature of Jesus' words.

While some interpretations propose "this generation" means the Jewish race, which endures until all eschatological events culminate, or an unbelieving generation throughout history, the direct chronological flow in Luke points strongly to the immediacy of Jerusalem's judgment. The overarching message is one of divine faithfulness and the absolute certainty of God's Word coming to pass. Believers are called to vigilance, interpreting the "signs" correctly, and trusting in the unfailing plan of God rather than fixating solely on precise timelines.

Example: The historical destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Empire in 70 AD serves as a tangible fulfillment, illustrating that the events Jesus prophesied indeed occurred within the lifetime of "this generation" (those who were alive when He spoke).