Luke 21:20
New International Version
“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.

New Living Translation
“And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.

English Standard Version
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

Berean Standard Bible
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near.

Berean Literal Bible
And when you see Jerusalem being encircled by encampments, then know that her desolation has drawn near.

King James Bible
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

New King James Version
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

New American Standard Bible
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

NASB 1995
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

NASB 1977
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand.

Legacy Standard Bible
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

Amplified Bible
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by [hostile] armies, then understand [with confident assurance] that her complete destruction is near.

Christian Standard Bible
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near.

American Standard Version
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But whenever you will see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, know then that its destruction has come near to it.

Contemporary English Version
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by soldiers, you will know that it will soon be destroyed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army; then know that the desolation thereof is at hand.

English Revised Version
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"When you see armies camped around Jerusalem, realize that the time is near for it to be destroyed.

Good News Translation
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.

International Standard Version
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then understand that its devastation is approaching.

Literal Standard Version
And when you may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that her desolation has come near;

Majority Standard Bible
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near.

New American Bible
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand.

NET Bible
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

New Revised Standard Version
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

New Heart English Bible
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its desolation is nigh.

Weymouth New Testament
"But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand.

World English Bible
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

Young's Literal Translation
'And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Destruction of Jerusalem
19By your patient endurance you will gain your souls. 20But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city.…

Cross References
Daniel 9:27
And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him."

Matthew 24:15
So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination of desolation,' described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),

Luke 19:43
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side.

Hebrews 11:30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.


Treasury of Scripture

And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.

Luke 21:7
And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Luke 19:43
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

Daniel 9:27
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

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Armies Close Compassed Desolation Destruction Drawn Encamping Encampments Encompassed Hand Jerusalem Nigh Overthrow Recognize Round Side Surrounded Thereof
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Armies Close Compassed Desolation Destruction Drawn Encamping Encampments Encompassed Hand Jerusalem Nigh Overthrow Recognize Round Side Surrounded Thereof
Luke 21
1. Jesus commends the poor widow.
5. He foretells the destruction of the temple, and of the city Jerusalem;
25. the signs also which shall be before the last day.
34. He exhorts them to be watchful.














(20-24) When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies.--See Notes on Matthew 23:15-21; Mark 13:14-19. This is St. Luke's equivalent, possibly chosen as more intelligible for his Gentile readers, for "the abomination of desolation," which we find in St. Matthew and St. Mark. As far as it goes, it favours the view that he and others saw the "abomination" in the presence of the invading armies. On the other hand, it is possible, accepting, as we must accept, the thought of a substituted phrase, that we have one which, while it gives a partial explanation, fails to exhaust the meaning of the darker and more mysterious phrase. The occurrence of the word "desolation" in the latter clause of the verse, obviously favours the hypothesis now suggested.

Verses 20-24. - The true signs which his people are to be on the watch for. Verse 20. - And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. This is to be the sign that the end has come for temple, city, and people. Wars and rumors of wars, physical portents, famine and pestilence succeeding each other with a terrible persistence, all these will, in the forthcoming years, terrify and perplex men's minds, presages of something which seems impending. But his people are to bear in mind that these were not the immediate signs of the awful ruin he was foretelling. But when the holy city was invested, when hostile armies were encamped about her - then this would surely come to pass, and some of these very bystanders would behold it - then, and not till then, let his people take alarm. Let them at once and at all cost flee from temple and city, for there would be no deliverance, God had left his house, given up the chosen people. "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles" (ver. 24). It is probable that these solemn words of the Master, becoming, as they did, at a comparatively early date, the property of the Church, saved the Christian congregations in Palestine from the fate which overtook the Jewish nation in the last great war. Clearly warned by Jesus that the gathering of the Roman armies in the neighborhood of Jerusalem was the unmistakable sign of the end of the Jewish polity, the Christian congregations fled to Pella beyond Jordan. The Jews never ceased to the last trusting that deliverance from on high would be vouchsafed to the holy city and temple. The Christians were warned by the words of the Founder of their faith - words spoken nigh forty years before the siege - that the time of mercy was hopelessly past.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

when
Ὅταν (Hotan)
Conjunction
Strong's 3752: When, whenever. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as.

you see
ἴδητε (idēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

Jerusalem
Ἰερουσαλήμ (Ierousalēm)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2419: Of Hebrew origin; Hierusalem, the capitol of Palestine.

surrounded
κυκλουμένην (kykloumenēn)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2944: To encircle, besiege, surround. From the same as kukloi; to encircle, i.e. Surround.

by
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

armies,
στρατοπέδων (stratopedōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4760: An encamped army. From the base of stratia and the same as pedinos; a camping-ground, i.e. a body of troops.

you will know
γνῶτε (gnōte)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

her
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

desolation
ἐρήμωσις (erēmōsis)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2050: A desolation, devastation. From eremoo; despoliation.

is near.
ἤγγικεν (ēngiken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1448: Trans: I bring near; intrans: I come near, approach. From eggus; to make near, i.e. approach.


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NT Gospels: Luke 21:20 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 21:19
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