Luke 21:23

Luke 21:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

Context of Luke 21:23

21Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those who are inside the city must depart. Those who are out in the country must not enter it, 22because these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 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. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25“And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.

Luke 21:23 word by word

Οὐαὶ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· ἔσται γὰρ ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• woeοὐαίouai · woe!G3759
• unto themὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that areἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• childγαστήρgastēr · bellyG1064
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• give suckθηλάζωthēlazō · to suckleG2337
• thoseἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• there shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• distressἀνάγκηanagkē · necessityG318
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the landγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• wrathὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992

Cross-references for Luke 21:23

• Luke 23:29For this is certain: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’
• Deuteronomy 28:56Likewise, the most tender and delicate of your women, who would never think of putting even the sole of her foot on the ground because of her daintiness, will turn against her beloved husband, her sons and daughters,
• Lamentations 4:10The hands of tenderhearted women cooked their own children, who became their food, when my people were destroyed. כ (Kaf)
• Hebrews 9:12and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption.
• Hebrews 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.
• Matthew 24:19Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days!
• Mark 13:17Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days!
• Luke 19:27But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’”
• Matthew 21:41They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:16because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they constantly fill up their measure of sins, but wrath has come upon them completely.
• Hebrews 10:26For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us,
• James 5:1Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.
• 1 Peter 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God?

Commentaries on Luke 21:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-36Verses 7-36 The account of the destruction of Jerusalem contained in this chapter has been fully considered in the notes at Luke 21:9 Commotions - Insurrections. Subjects rising against their rulers. Luke 21:11 Fearful sights - See Matthew 24:7. Luke 21:12, Luke 21:13 Synagogues, and into prisons - See the notes at Mark 13:9-10. Luke 21:14 Settle it, therefore, in your hearts - Fix it firmly in your minds - so firmly as to become a settled principle…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-28Verses 5-28 With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-24Jesus was describing the siege and destruction of Jerusalem that would take place in AD 70.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. woe unto--"alas for." with child, &c.--from the greater suffering it would involve; as also "flight in winter, and on the sabbath," which they were to "pray" against (Mt 24:20), the one as more trying to the body, the other to the soul. "For then shall be tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be"--language not unusual in the Old Testament for tremendous calamities, though of this it may perhaps be literally said…Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 21:23

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Jerusalem
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• War
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Commotion
• Distress
• Gainsay
• Gospels
• Lift
• Look
• Mouth
• Surfeiting
• Terrify

Commentaries on Luke 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings