The Meaning of Luke 21:21 Explained

Luke 21:21

KJV: Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

YLT: then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart out; and those in the countries, let them not come in to her;

Darby: Then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of it depart out, and those who are in the country not enter into it;

ASV: Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  let them  which are in  Judaea  flee  to  the mountains;  and  let them  which are in  the midst  of it  depart out;  and  let  not  them that are in  the countries  enter  thereinto. 

What does Luke 21:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 21:20-28 - The Coming Of The Son Of Man In Glory
This paragraph clearly has its first reference to the fall of Jerusalem, which took place a.d. 70. The directions given by our Lord were of the greatest service to the Christian church, the members of which in large numbers, fled to Pella, across the Jordan, and so escaped the horrors of the siege. But beyond this each great event, such as the dissolution of the Hebrew state, the overthrow of the Roman Empire, the rise of the Reformation, the French Revolution, and so forth, is another stage in the advent of our Lord. He is always "coming in a cloud" so far as the eyes of men are concerned; but with the growing glory of clearer revelation and increased spiritual power. And all these stages are leading up to His final unveiling at His second advent.
That generation did not pass away before these portents were fulfilled; but each great period or chapter of history closes with similar signs. It is as though nature were as sympathetic to the experiences of the race, as the body is to the motions of the soul. Again behold the travail-pangs of creation, through which the new heavens and the new earth are being born. See Romans 8:22, etc. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 21

1  Jesus commends the poor widow
5  He foretells the destruction of the temple, and of the city Jerusalem;
25  the signs also which shall be before the last day
34  He exhorts them to be watchful

What do the individual words in Luke 21:21 mean?

Then those in - Judea let them flee to the mountains and midst of her let them depart out the countries not let them enter into her
τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη καὶ μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐκχωρείτωσαν ταῖς χώραις μὴ εἰσερχέσθωσαν εἰς αὐτήν

οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίᾳ  Judea 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰουδαία  
Sense: in a narrower sense, to the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, and Idumaea.
φευγέτωσαν  let  them  flee 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φεύγω  
Sense: to flee away, seek safety by flight.
ὄρη  mountains 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὄρος  
Sense: a mountain.
μέσῳ  midst 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: μέσος  
Sense: middle.
αὐτῆς  of  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐκχωρείτωσαν  let  them  depart  out 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐκχωρέω  
Sense: to depart from.
χώραις  countries 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: χώρα  
Sense: the space lying between two places or limits.
εἰσερχέσθωσαν  let  them  enter 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
αὐτήν  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.