^21:20“But when you see Jerusalem⁴⁷ surrounded⁴⁸ by armies, then know that its⁴⁹ desolation⁵⁰ has come near. ^21:21Then those who are in Judea must flee⁵¹ to the mountains. Those⁵² who are inside the city must depart. Those⁵³ who are out in the country must not enter it, ^21:22because these are days of vengeance,⁵⁴ to fulfill⁵⁵ all that is written. ^21:23Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! For there will be great distress⁵⁶ on the earth and wrath against this people. ^21:24They⁵⁷ will fall by the edge⁵⁸ of the sword and be led away as captives⁵⁹ among all nations. Jerusalem⁶⁰ will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.⁶¹

Read in Logos

Footnotes

47 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
48 See Luke 19:41–44. This passage refers to the events associated with the fall of Jerusalem, when the city is surrounded by armies.
49 Grk “her,” referring to the city of Jerusalem (the name “Jerusalem” in Greek is a feminine noun).
50 The phrase its desolation is a reference to the fall of the city, which is the only antecedent present in Luke’s account. The parallels to this in Matt 24:15 and Mark 13:14 refer to the temple’s desolation, though Matthew’s allusion is clearer. They focus on the parallel events of the end, not on the short term realization in a.d. 70. The entire passage has a prophetic “two events in one” typology, where the near term destruction (a.d. 70) is like the end. So the evangelists could choose to focus on the near time realization (Luke) or on its long term fulfillment, which mirrors it (Matthew, Mark).
51 Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.
52 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
53 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
54 Or “of punishment.” This is a time of judgment.
55 The passive construction with the infinitive πλησθῆναι (plēsthēnai) has been translated as an active construction for simplicity, in keeping with contemporary English style.
56 Great distress means that this is a period of great judgment.
57 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
58 Grk “by the mouth of the sword” (an idiom for the edge of a sword).
59 Here is the predicted judgment against the nation until the time of Gentile rule has passed: Its people will be led away as captives.
60 Grk “And Jerusalem.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
61 Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled implies a time when Israel again has a central role in God’s plan.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 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. 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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 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. 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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those inside the city must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it, because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will be killed by the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

NLTNew Living Translation

“And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 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. 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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside it must depart, and those in the fields must not enter into it, because these are days of vengeance, so that all the things that are written can be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people, and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

KJV 1900King James Version

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 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. 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.

Public Domain