Luke 17:21
What does Luke 17:21 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 17:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 17:21 means
Jesus adds that people will not be able to point to a location and say the kingdom is here or there; instead, it is among them—present in their midst as the King Himself stands before them. The reign of God is already operative where Jesus is teaching, healing, and forgiving. This corrects expectations of a merely external, territorial rule. The kingdom’s presence is relational and transformative before it is territorial and visible. This word invites hearers to recognize and submit to God’s rule now. Yet this present reality does not cancel a future unveiling; both are true—the kingdom is here in Christ and will be revealed in glory.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And men will not say, See, it is here! or, There! for the kingdom of God is among you.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862nor shall they say, Lo, here; or lo, there; for lo, the reign of God is within you.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890nor shall they say, Lo here, or, Lo there; for behold, the kingdom ofGod is in the midst of you.
Context
This clarification completes Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees (verse 20) and prepares for His separate instruction to the disciples about the days ahead (verse 22). The movement from “in your midst” to “you will long to see” holds present and future together. Immediately He warns about deceptive claims (verse 23) and affirms that the Son of man’s day will be like lightning—public and undeniable (verse 24)—but only after suffering and rejection (verse 25).
v.20And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
v.21This passage
v.22And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 12:28
But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
- Luke 17:23
And they shall say to you, Lo, there! Lo, here! go not away, nor follow after them:
- Romans 14:17
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 10:9
and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
- Luke 21:8
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them.
- Colossians 1:27
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
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