Luke 21:10
in Luke 21Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
KJV
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
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This verse in Luke 21
Commentary
14 notes on this verseThe final tribulation is preceded by many tribulations, and through the frequent evils that come before, the perpetual evils that will follow are indicated. And therefore after wars and seditions the end does not come immediately, because many evils must run before, so that they may be able to announce evil without end. But since so many signs of disturbance have been mentioned, we ought to touch briefly upon the consideration of each one, because it is necessary that we suffer some things from heaven, some from earth, some from the elements, some from men.
This site's exposition
be not terrified
on Luke 21:9-11
When ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified, for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not by and by, Jesus naming ordinary historical turbulence, nation against nation, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights and great signs from heaven, as the era's normal background rather than proof the end has arrived. The bench reads the whole list as recurring across history rather than confined to one generation, which is precisely why the disciples are told not to read any single occurrence as the signal. The parking order governs the verses that follow exactly here: historical readings that locate an early fulfillment and futurist readings that locate a final one are both held honestly, with holders named rather than a house verdict declared.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanEXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10.15-18 · Written before 397.
proposed
Jerusalem certainly was besieged and taken by the Roman army … then, the desolation will be near since many will fall into error and depart from the true faith.… Then the day of the Lord will suitably come, and the days will be shortened for the sake of the chosen. Since the Lord's first coming was to atone for sins, the second will be to prevent transgressions, fearing more might fall into the error of unbelief. False prophets and then famine will come. Tell me again of the times of Elijah, and you will find prophets of confusion, Jezebel, famine and drought on earth. What was the reason? Wickedness abounded, and love grew cold.
When this type of thing was chanted to you in the temple, "The gods who protected Rome have not saved it now, because they no longer exist," you would say, "They did save it when they existed."We, however, can show that our God is truthful. He foretold all these things. You read all of them and heard them. I am not sure whether you have remembered them, you that are upset by such words. Have you not heard the prophets, the apostles, the Lord Jesus Christ himself foretelling evils to come? When old age comes to the world and the end draws near, you heard it, brothers and sisters, we all heard it together. There will be wars, turmoil, tribulations and famines. Why do we contradict ourselves? When these things are read, we believe them, but when they are fulfilled, we grumble.
Perhaps you are anxious, brothers and sisters, at the fact that we hear constantly of the tumult of wars and the onsets of battles. Perhaps your love is still more anxious since these are taking place in our times. The reason is the closer we …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Now some have wished to place the fulfilment of these things not only at the future consummation of all things, but at the time also of the taking of Jerusalem. For when the Author of peace was killed, then justly arose among the Jews wars and sedition, But from wars proceed pestilence and famine, the former indeed produced by the air infected with dead bodies, the latter through the lands remaining uncultivated. Josephus also relates the most intolerable distresses to have occurred from famine; and at the time of Claudius Cæsar there was a severe famine, as we read in the Acts, (Acts 11:28.) and many terrible events happened, forboding, as Josephus says, the destruction of Jerusalem.
Thirdly, as to the onset of pestilences, he subjoins: Then he said to them: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Gregory: "Behold, the disturbance of men"; and there shall be great earthquakes in various places, "behold, the visitation of wrath from above"; …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
It follows, Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, &c. For it must needs be that we should suffer some things from heaven, some from earth, some from the elements, and some from men. Here then are signified the confusions of men.
Then he said to them: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines, and pestilences. It is established that these things occurred literally before the end of the desolation of the temple, that …
But the kingdom against kingdom, and the pestilence of those whose word creepeth as a cancer, and the famine of hearing the word of God, and the shaking of the whole earth, and the separation from the true faith, may be explained also in the heretics, who contending one with another bring victory to the Church.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God has various ways of punishing a provoking people. The four sorts of judgments which the Old-Testament prophets so often speak of are threatened by the New-Testament prophets too; for, though spiritual judgments are more commonly inflicted in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also.
Then said he unto them, nation shall rise,.... See Gill on Mat 24:7.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
These words no doubt received a partial fulfillment in the days when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans, and the Jews were led into captivity. It was a season of unparalleled desolation to Judea, and the countries round about Judea. The last days of the Jewish dispensation, were wound up by a struggle which for bloodshed, misery, and tribulation, has never been equaled since the world began. But the words before us have yet to receive a more complete accomplishment. They describe the time which shall immediately precede the second coming of Jesus Christ.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These words no doubt received a partial fulfillment in the days when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans, and the Jews were led into captivity. It was a season of unparalleled desolation to Judea, and the countries round about Judea. The last days of the Jewish dispensation, were wound up by a struggle which for bloodshed, misery, and tribulation, has never been equaled since the world began. But the words before us have yet to receive a more complete accomplishment. They describe the time which shall immediately precede the second coming of Jesus Christ. The "time of the end" shall be a time of war, and not of universal peace. The Christian dispensation shall pass away like the Jewish one — amid wars, tumults, and desolation, amid a general crash of empires and kingdoms, such as the eyes of man have never yet seen. A thorough understanding of these things is of great importance to our souls. Nothing is so calculated to chill the heart and dampen the faith of a Christian — as indulgence in unscriptural expectations . Let us dismiss from our minds the vain idea that nations will ever give up wars entirely, before Jesus Christ comes again. So long as the devil is the prince of this world, and the hearts of the many are unconverted — so long there must be strife and fighting. There will be no universal peace before the second coming of the Prince of peace. Then, and then only, "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4.) Let us cease to expect that missionaries and ministers will ever convert the world, and teach all mankind to love one another. They will do nothing of the kind! They were never intended to do it.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἔλεγεν | elegen | He was saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτοῖς· | autois | to them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐγερθήσεται | egerthesetai | Will rise up | G1453 → | 142 times |
| ἔθνος | ethnos | nation | G1484 → | 161 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | against | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ἔθνος | ethnos | nation | G1484 → | 161 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| βασιλεία | basileia | kingdom | G932 → | 162 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | against | G1909 → | 883 times |
| βασιλείαν, | basileian | kingdom, | G932 → | 162 times |
τότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἔλεγενHe was saying
elegenG3004 →1325 times
αὐτοῖς·to them;
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἐγερθήσεταιWill rise up
egerthesetaiG1453 →142 times
ἔθνοςnation
ethnosG1484 →161 times
ἐπ᾽against
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
ἔθνοςnation
ethnosG1484 →161 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
βασιλείαkingdom
basileiaG932 →162 times
ἐπὶagainst
epiG1909 →883 times
βασιλείαν,kingdom,
basileianG932 →162 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 12:27The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 7:31
and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
- Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- 1 Corinthians 7:31
Through
Mark 13:8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:8
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
- Psalms 48:6
Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
- Isaiah 37:3
to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.
- Matthew 24:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Luke
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Ambrose of Milan, EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10.15-18; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 296.10; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 21; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 35; Gregory the Dialogist, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Maximus of Turin, SERMON 85.1 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.