When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,
Parallel translations
- KJV And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
- BSB As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He 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 13:34–35“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
- Ps 119:136Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law. TZADI
- John 11:35Jesus wept.
- Jer 17:16As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you; neither have I desired the woeful day; you know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.
- Jer 13:17But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock is taken captive.
- Ps 119:158I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don’t observe your word.
- Jer 9:1Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
- Ps 119:53Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your law.
- Hos 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused.
- Rom 9:2–3that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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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