Luke 21:34
What does Luke 21:34 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 21:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 21:34 means
Jesus gives a vital warning: "But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare." He cautions against spiritual complacency, indulging in excessive worldly pleasures, or being consumed by anxieties over earthly matters. These distractions can make one spiritually unprepared, causing the day of His coming to arrive unexpectedly and catch them off guard, like an animal caught in a trap.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:
KJV
King James Version · 1611And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But give attention to yourselves, for fear that your hearts become over-full of the pleasures of food and wine, and the cares of this life, and that day may come on you suddenly, and take you as in a net:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts may be weighed down with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day may come on you,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life: and that day come upon you suddenly.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But take heed to yourselves lest possibly your hearts be laden with surfeiting and drinking and cares of life, and that day come upon you suddenly unawares;
Context
This verse marks a shift from prophetic revelation to practical exhortation, directly following Jesus' profound statements about the certainty of His words (verse 33). It provides a crucial warning against spiritual unpreparedness, serving as a pastoral application of the preceding prophetic discourse. This caution against worldly distractions sets the stage for the broader call to watchfulness and prayer in verses 35-36, urging ongoing vigilance in light of the coming events.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Samuel 25:36
And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
- Proverbs 21:4
A high look, and a proud heart, Eventhe lamp of the wicked, is sin.
- Isaiah 28:7
And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
- Romans 13:11
And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when wefirstbelieved.
- Luke 17:3
Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
- 2 Peter 3:14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
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