Luke 21:23 · Bible study
Luke 21:23 Commentary: Woe and Compassion
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Jesus singles out pregnant and nursing mothers in His warning about Jerusalem: pity, not curse. A study of vulnerability and God’s care in judgment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus utters a woe of pity for pregnant and nursing mothers, whose condition makes escape from Jerusalem’s destruction nearly impossible.
- Key words: Ouai (woe, interjection of grief), anagkē (distress, constraint, necessity).
- Main debate: Whether this woe refers exclusively to the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem or also to the end of the age (most scholars affirm a dual reference).
- Theological theme: God’s compassion for the vulnerable even in the execution of judgment; the cost of sin borne by the innocent.
- Best use: A pastoral reminder to see and care for those who are most vulnerable when trials come, trusting God’s ultimate justice and mercy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath to this people.
KJV King James Version 1769
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And woe to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; for there shall be great distress on the land, and wrath on this people;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But woe to them that are with child and to them who give suck in those days, for there shall be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But woe to them that are with child and give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas ¡ ay de las preñadas|strong="G1722, G1064, G2192", y de las que crían en aquellos días! porque habrá apuro grande sobre la tierra é ira en este pueblo.
Mas ai das grávidas, e das que amamentarem naqueles dias; porque grande calamidade haverá na terra, e ira contra este povo.
Malheur aux femmes qui seront enceintes et à celles qui allaiteront en ces jours-là! Car il y aura une grande détresse dans le pays, et de la colère contre ce peuple.
Weh aber den Schwangern und Säugerinnen in jenen Tagen! Denn es wird große Not auf Erden sein und ein Zorn über dies Volk,
Doch wee den bevruchten en den zogenden vrouwen in die dagen, want er zal grote nood zijn in het land, en toorn over dit volk.
Guai alle donne che saranno incinte, e a quelle che allatteranno in que’ giorni! Perché vi sarà gran distretta nel paese ed ira su questo popolo.
Ale biada brzemiennym i piersiami karmiącym w owe dni! albowiem będzie ucisk wielki w tej ziemi i gniew Boży nad tym ludem.
Горе же беременным и питающим сосцами в те дни; ибо великое будет бедствие на земле и гнев на народ сей:
當 那些 日子，懷孕的 和 奶孩子 的有禍了！因為 將有 大 災難 降在 這地方，也有 震怒 臨到這 百姓。
It will be hard for women who are with child, and for her with a baby at the breast, in those days. For great trouble will come on the land, and wrath on this people.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 21:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this woe is not a curse but an expression of deep pity. The Cambridge Bible calls it “only an expression of pity for them because their flight would be retarded or rendered impossible.” Jesus singles out pregnant and nursing mothers because the coming siege of Jerusalem would make escape nearly hopeless, they simply could not run. The Greek word for “distress” is anagkē, which Vincent’s Word Studies notes originally means “constraint, necessity,” and in classical poets carries the sense of anguish. Gill’s Exposition describes the tribulation as unprecedented, citing Josephus’s account of the utter destruction. The “wrath upon this people” is divine judgment, as the cross-reference to 1 Thessalonians 2:16 (noted by Cambridge) confirms: “Wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” This woe highlights the terrible cost of judgment borne by the most vulnerable. It is a compassionate cry from the Lord Himself for those who must suffer most when nations fall.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical-only (AD70): The immediate context (vv.20–22) speaks of armies surrounding Jerusalem and flight. The woe refers to real first-century mothers who could not escape the Roman siege.
- Dual reference (AD70 + final tribulation): The parallel passages in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 connect Jerusalem’s fall to the end of the age. Lange notes that most scholars now agree a double reference is present. The 'days of vengeance' (v.22) also echo Old Testament prophecies of the Day of the Lord.
What is clear: Whatever the timeline, the woe expresses Jesus’ pity for the vulnerable in the face of imminent judgment, and calls readers to share His heart for the weak.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the woe | Commentators agree the woe is an expression of pity, not a curse. Jesus laments the extra suffering that vulnerable mothers will face. | Some see it as purely emotional lament; others emphasize that the woe also functions as a sober warning that judgment brings unavoidable suffering, especially for the weak. |
| Historical referent | All major interpreters agree the primary reference is the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, as described by Josephus and verified by the surrounding context. | Some limit the reference entirely to that event (the historical-only view). Others, following the synoptic parallels and Lange’s observation of a dual focus, see AD70 as a type of the final tribulation at the end of the age. |
| Meaning of 'great distress' and 'wrath' | These terms describe the horrific suffering of the siege: famine, slaughter, and exile. The distress is both human and divine in origin. | Debate centers on whether the 'wrath' is exclusively God’s temporal judgment on first-century Israel (as in 1 Thessalonians 2:16) or whether it also foreshadows final eschatological wrath. |
| Application for today | The passage calls Christians to compassion for the vulnerable, especially parents of young children in crisis situations. | Some apply it primarily as a spiritual warning about being weighed down by worldly cares (Matthew Henry). Others insist on a literal application to future tribulation scenarios. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Luke 21:23 sits in the heart of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, prompted by the disciples’ awe at the temple. Jesus declares that not one stone will be left on another (Luke 21:6). The verses immediately before (vv.20, 22) give the signal: when armies surround Jerusalem, flee to the mountains. This happened in AD 70 when Roman legions under Titus breached the city.
Pregnant and nursing mothers faced a compounded crisis. They could not quickly climb the rocky paths to the hills or carry infants and supplies through the chaos. The historian Josephus, cited by both Cambridge and Gill, records that the siege brought famine, infection, and violence so severe that even children were boiled for food (compare Lamentations 4:10). The Greek phrase epi tēs gēs (“upon the land”) likely refers to the land of Judea (Gill specifies it), and orgē (“wrath”) points to God’s active judgment. Jesus’ warning echoes the curses of Deuteronomy 28:56, 57, where the tender woman becomes desperate enough to eat her own children. This is not hyperbole; it is a prophecy grounded in covenant history.
The “great distress” (anagkē megalē) combines the idea of necessity with suffering: the inhabitants were trapped, with no way out. Matthew Henry notes that the destruction of Jerusalem was “a little day of judgment, a type and figure of Christ’s second coming.” The historical context demands that we hear this woe as a real, urgent cry for real people in a real crisis, not a distant theological abstraction.
Textual Notes
The textual tradition of Luke 21:23 is stable across major manuscripts. The only variation of note is the presence or absence of the conjunction δέ (de, “now” or “but”) at the verse’s opening. Some manuscripts include it (as in the WEB: “But woe”), while others omit it. This does not affect the meaning. No other significant variants are reported in the consulted sources.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been read through two primary lenses. Early Christian writers saw its fulfillment in the Roman siege of AD70, often citing Josephus to confirm the horrors described. During the Reformation, Matthew Henry applied the woe to the spiritual condition of those burdened by worldly cares in times of trial. Later, dispensationalist readings expanded the reference to a future Great Tribulation. Across all eras, the verse has served as a pastoral word: God does not overlook the suffering of the helpless, and His warnings always carry compassion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A Woe That Weeps: Jesus’ “woe” is not condemnation but a cry of pity. He knows what is coming and shares the grief of those who must endure it.
- A Vulnerability Exposed: Pregnant and nursing mothers embody those who cannot escape quickly. Judgment exposes every weakness, and God does not ignore the ones who suffer most.
- A Heart That Holds the Helpless: Even in the midst of severe judgment, Jesus draws attention to the powerless. This woe is a window into the compassion of God for those trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
Five-point outline
- Context of Crisis: The armies surround Jerusalem. Flight is the only hope (vv.20, 21).
- Pity in the Pronouncement: The woe is not a curse but a lament for those who cannot flee.
- Specific Suffering: Pregnancy and nursing make escape nearly impossible. The most vulnerable bear the heaviest burden.
- Divine Judgment: “Great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people” signal God’s hand in history’s tragedies.
- Eternal Echo: This warning points beyond AD70 to the final judgment, when only Christ is the refuge.
Illustration hooks
- A news report of families fleeing a war zone: mothers carrying infants, pregnant women walking miles. Their struggle is not unique; it has been the path of the weak in every age.
- A church that runs a ministry for single mothers finds itself living out the very compassion Jesus shows here, noticing the ones who cannot move quickly when crisis hits.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this woe mean having children in hard times is wrong?, No. It highlights the added pain, not a prohibition.
- Why does God allow innocent children to suffer in war?, This verse does not answer fully, but it shows God sees and laments with them.
- How can this ancient warning apply to my life today?, It calls us to be aware of the vulnerable when disaster strikes and prepare spiritually for any trial.
Leading a Discussion
This verse can feel unsettling, a woe pronounced on mothers. But when we read it in context, it becomes a window into God’s heart for the vulnerable. Use these questions to help your group engage the text and consider how to care for the weak in times of trial.
Discussion questions
- What is happening in the verses just before this one (vv.20, 22)? Why is flight so urgent?
- Why do you think Jesus specifically mentions pregnant and nursing mothers? What makes their situation unique?
- The word “woe” (Greek ouai) is often used in judgment. How does this context change its meaning? What evidence do you see that it is pity, not condemnation?
- Read Deuteronomy 28:56, 57 and Lamentations 4:10. How do these cross-references deepen the tragedy Jesus describes?
- How might this passage have encouraged or challenged the first Christians who lived through the Jewish-Roman war?
- In what ways do we as a church tend to overlook the extra burdens carried by parents of young children in times of crisis?
- How does this verse shape your understanding of God’s character in the midst of judgment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 28:56 | The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil toward the husband that she loves, toward her son, toward her daughter, |
| Deuteronomy 28:57 | toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of all things in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in your gates. |
| Lamentations 4:10 | The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. |
| Matthew 21:41 | They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit in its season.” |
| Matthew 21:44 | He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it will fall, it will scatter him as dust.” |
| Matthew 24:19 | But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days! |
| Mark 13:17 | But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days! |
| Luke 19:27 | But bring those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The note clarifies that the "woe" is not a curse but an expression of pity, since pregnancy or nursing would make flight nearly impossible. It then links this to Josephus's report of Jerusalem's complete destruction, where nothing remained even to plunder.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that this woe targets the most vulnerable — pregnant and nursing women — to show the extremity of the coming judgment. Such distress over the whole land means that not even those who normally receive mercy in war or famine will be spared.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on the Greek word behind "distress," noting it properly means "necessity" but here signals overwhelming affliction. He stresses that the siege of Jerusalem brought a time of tribulation never seen before or since, compounded by the Jews' internal divisions and God's judgment as well as human cruelty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the added hardships of pregnancy, nursing, winter travel, or Sabbath restrictions made the coming tribulation even more severe. He stresses that God mercifully shortened those days so a remnant of the elect would survive, and he calls the phrase "if possible" regarding false Christs' deception a precious guarantee that the elect cannot ultimately be led astray.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Jesus speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world as one prophetic picture, not two separate events. The fall of Jerusalem serves as a type or foreshadowing of the final judgment, with the interval between them receding in prophetic vision. The signs Jesus gives apply to both, unfolding in ever-increasing measure toward the end.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats the destruction of Jerusalem as a small-scale preview of the final judgment—a type and figure of Christ's second coming. For those whose hearts were bound up in the city, its fall would feel as devastating as the end of the world itself.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word translated as distress originally meant constraint or necessity. It then came to mean force or violence, and in classical poetry shifted to deep anguish. The progression shows how the word carries connotations of compulsion and pressure.