As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
Parallel translations
- WEB When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,
- KJV And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
- NKJV Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,
- NASB When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,
- NLT But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
As he nears the city, Jesus sees Jerusalem and weeps over it. The King grieves over a people who will reject him.
Overview
In the midst of the joyful procession Jesus is moved to tears over Jerusalem's coming ruin and spiritual blindness. His weeping reveals the compassionate heart of God toward sinners who refuse their visitation. Even as he goes to die for them, Christ laments the judgment that unbelief will bring.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 13:34–35O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Ps 119:136My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
- John 11:35Jesus wept.
- Jer 17:16But I have not run away from being Your shepherd; I have not desired the day of despair. You know that the utterance of my lips was spoken in Your presence.
- Jer 13:17But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
- Ps 119:158I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word.
- Jer 9:1Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.
- Ps 119:53Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law.
- Hos 11:8How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred!
- Rom 9:2–3I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 19:41 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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