They asked Him questions, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
Parallel translations
- WEB They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
- KJV 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?
- BSB “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
- NKJV So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
- NLT “Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?”
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
The disciples ask when this destruction will occur and what sign will signal it.
Overview
Their question prompts the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' teaching about coming judgment and His return. The disciples link the temple's fall with the end of the age, and Jesus answers on both levels. He aims to prepare them not for date-setting but for faithful watchfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Acts 1:6–7Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
- Mark 13:3–4As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
- Mark 13:14But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,
- Luke 21:27–28Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
- Matt 24:15–16“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
- Luke 21:20–21“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.
- Dan 12:8I heard, but I didn’t understand: then I said, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
- John 21:21–22Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
- Luke 21:32Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.
- Matt 24:3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
- Dan 12:6One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
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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 21:7 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.