Luke 21 · Verse 26

Luke 21:26

Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luke 21:26, King James Version

Luke 21:26 in other translations

BSBMen will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
WEBmen fainting for fear and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
ASVmen fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
YLTmen fainting at heart from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
DARBYmen ready to die through fear and expectation of what is coming on the habitable earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
BBEMen's strength will go from them in fear and in waiting for the things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of the heavens will be moved.
WebsterMen's hearts failing them for fear, and for apprehension of those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

What does Luke 21:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 21:25-28

25-28. signs, &c.--Though the grandeur of this language carries the mind over the head of all periods but that of Christ's second coming, nearly every expression will be found used of the Lord's coming in terrible national judgments, as of Babylon, &c.; and from Lu 21:28, 32, it seems undeniable that its immediate reference was to the destruction of Jerusalem, though its ultimate reference beyond doubt is to…

Read the full comment on Luke 21:25-28 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. Men's hearts failing them. This is an expression denoting the highest terror. The word rendered failing commonly denotes to die, and here it means that the terror would be so great that men would faint and be ready to die in view of the approaching calamities. And if this was true in respect to the judgments about to come upon Judea, how much more so will it be in the day of judgment, when the wicked will be arraigned before the Son of God, and when they shall have before them the prospect of the awful sufferings of hell --the pains and woes which shall continue for ever! It will be no wonder, then, if they call on the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God, and if their hearts sink within them at the prospect of eternal suffering.

(y) "powers of heaven" 2Pet 3:10-12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear - Or, Men fainting away through fear, (Αποψυχοντων), being ready to die. Coming on the earth - Or, Coming upon this land, οικουμενῃ. See this translation of the word vindicated in the note on Luk 2:1 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 21:5-28

With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer…

Read the full comment on Luke 21:5-28 →

Luke 21:26 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀποψυχόντωνapopsuchontōnwhen are faintingG674
ἀνθρώπωνanthrōpōnmenG444
ἀπὸapofromG575
φόβουphoboufearG5401
καὶkaiandG2532
προσδοκίαςprosdokiasexpectationG4329
τῶνtōnof that whichG3588
ἐπερχομένωνeperchomenōnis comingG1904
τῇtēaon theG3588
οἰκουμένῃ·oikoumenēearth;G3625
αἱhai<the>G3588
γὰρgarforG1063
δυνάμειςdunameisthe powersG1411
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶνouranōnheavensG3772
σαλευθήσονται.saleuthēsontaiwill be shaken.G4531

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 21:26

  • Deuteronomy 28:65-67

    And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

  • Matthew 24:29

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

  • 2 Peter 3:10-12

    But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

  • Leviticus 26:36

    And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

  • Mark 13:25

    And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

  • Deuteronomy 28:32-34

    Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

  • Hebrews 10:26-27

    For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hearts.
Le 26:36; De 28:32-34,65-67; Heb 10:26,27
for the.
Mt 24:29; Mr 13:25; 2Pe 3:10-12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 21:25

    And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

  • Luke 21:26

    Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

  • Luke 21:27

    And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Read all of Luke 21

Luke 21:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Secándose los hombres á causa del temor y expectación de las cosas que sobrevendrán á la redondez de la tierra: porque las virtudes de los cielos serán conmovidas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		les hommes rendant l’âme de peur et à cause de l’attente des choses qui viennent sur la terre habitée, car les puissances des cieux seront ébranlées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		indem die Menschen verschmachten vor Furcht und Erwartung der Dinge, die über den Erdkreis kommen, denn die Kräfte der Himmel werden erschüttert werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		arescentibus hominibus præ timore, et exspectatione, quæ supervenient universo orbi: nam virtutes cælorum movebuntur: