Luke 13:35

What does Luke 13:35 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 13:35 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 13:35 means

Jesus pronounces a solemn judgment upon Jerusalem: "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." This speaks metaphorically of the temple and the nation, indicating their abandonment by God due to their persistent rejection. He then declares that they will not see Him again until the day they proclaim, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." This points to His future second coming, when Israel will finally acknowledge Him as their Messiah, contrasting their current rejection with a future repentance and recognition.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Now see, your house is waste, and I say to you, You will not see me again till you say, A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Lo, your house is being left to you desolate, and verily I say to you--ye may not see me, till it may come, when ye may say, Blessed <FI>is<Fi> he who is coming in the name of the Lord.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Behold your house shall be left to you desolate. And I say to you that you shall not see me till the time come when you shall say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Behold, your house is left unto you; and I say unto you, that ye shall not see me until it come that ye say, Blessed [is] he that comes in the name of [the] Lord.

Context

This verse concludes Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, delivering a powerful prophetic judgment immediately after His expression of sorrow in verse 34. It declares the desolation of the city and temple due to their spiritual blindness and rejection. This stern warning, however, ends with a hopeful promise of future recognition and welcome, pointing to Christ's second coming. This final statement brings the chapter to a close, looking ahead to a future redemption beyond the present conflict.

v.34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings, and ye would not!

v.35This passage

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Zechariah 12:10

    And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.

  • Acts 6:13

    and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law:

  • Hosea 3:4

    For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim:

  • Isaiah 52:7

    How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

  • Zechariah 11:1

    Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

  • Mark 11:9

    And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

Related questions readers ask

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Luke 13:35.