Luke 21:5–24

Introduction

Luke 21:5–24: Today’s reading begins a teaching of Jesus about the future (sometimes called the eschatological discourse), including the destruction of Jerusalem and signs of Jesus’s return and the end of the world. In today’s passage, Jesus describes the destruction of the Temple and says that the present time will be one of troubles and persecutions for the disciples.

Today’s Key Verse: Luke 21:19

[Jesus said:] “Stand firm, and you will save yourselves.”

Reading

⁵ Some of the disciples were talking about the Temple, how beautiful it looked with its fine stones and the gifts offered to God. Jesus said, ⁶ “All this you see—the time will come when not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one will be thrown down.”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will this be? And what will happen in order to show that the time has come for it to take place?”

⁸ Jesus said, “Watch out; don’t be fooled. Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t follow them. ⁹ Don’t be afraid when you hear of wars and revolutions; such things must happen first, but they do not mean that the end is near.”

¹⁰ He went on to say, “Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. ¹¹ There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and plagues everywhere; there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky. ¹² Before all these things take place, however, you will be arrested and persecuted; you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison; you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake. ¹³ This will be your chance to tell the Good News. ¹⁴ Make up your minds ahead of time not to worry about how you will defend yourselves, ¹⁵ because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say. ¹⁶ You will be handed over by your parents, your brothers, your relatives, and your friends; and some of you will be put to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me. ¹⁸ But not a single hair from your heads will be lost. ¹⁹ Stand firm, and you will save yourselves.

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed. ²¹ Then those who are in Judea must run away to the hills; those who are in the city must leave, and those who are out in the country must not go into the city. ²² For those will be ‘The Days of Punishment,’ to make come true all that the Scriptures say. ²³ How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and for mothers with little babies! Terrible distress will come upon this land, and God’s punishment will fall on this people. ²⁴ Some will be killed by the sword, and others will be taken as prisoners to all countries; and the heathen will trample over Jerusalem until their time is up.

Reflect

What warnings does Jesus give his disciples? What words of encouragement does he give them? What were your thoughts as you read Jesus’s words?

Pray

Lord Jesus, draw me close to you and strengthen my faith day by day. Help me not to be led astray by false teachings and teach me to be obedient to your will. Amen.

And now, join us in thanking God that the lives of young people are being transformed in Niger. Sovereign God, young people in this African nation face many difficulties, including extreme poverty and illiteracy. But thanks to faithful Bible-A-Month Partners, the local Bible Society is placing your Word into the hands and hearts of thousands of young people who would otherwise never have access to Scripture. The Bibles they receive are helping them gain confidence and a love for others and helping them change their behavior. Praise and thanks to you, Lord God, that more and more young people in Niger now have access to the Good News of Jesus and are growing in their faith. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Luke 21:25–38: Jesus describes the coming of the Son of Man.