people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Greek word for "failing" here means to "breathe out the soul," painting a visceral picture of terror so profound it's like people are on the verge of death itself. This wasn't just passive worry; it was an active, overwhelming dread of the cosmic upheaval to come.
people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told his disciples that the magnificent Temple will be utterly destroyed, leading them to ask when these events will happen. He launches into a prophecy about the signs of the end times, including wars, famines, and earthquakes, which will cause widespread distress. This verse describes the intense fear and panic people will experience as they witness these cosmic disturbances and grasp the enormity of what is unfolding.
Imagine a fear so profound it makes your heart stop. Jesus describes a terror that causes people to literally 'fail' - to stop breathing, to swoon.
Jesus uses a powerful, visceral image here. The word for 'failing' (apopsuchontōn) literally means 'to breathe out the soul' or 'to swoon.' It's a medical term, suggesting a physical collapse under extreme duress.
This isn't just a mild nervousness; it's a deep-seated dread that paralyzes and overwhelms.
Think about the sheer terror of seeing the very fabric of reality come undone. It's a fear that hits you in your core, making your body physically react to the overwhelming nature of the crisis.
It's not just the immediate terror, but the dread of what's coming next that causes hearts to fail. Jesus points to a terrifying anticipation.
The Greek word used for 'foreboding' or 'looking after' (prosdokias) means 'expectation' or 'waiting.' It’s not just fear of the present moment, but a deep anxiety about the future.
This is the chilling realization that the worst is yet to come. It’s the dread that settles in when you can see disaster on the horizon and you know it’s inevitable.
This anticipation fuels the terror, making the current crisis even more unbearable because it’s seen as just the beginning.
Ask a follow-up
When the foundations of the earth start to shake, what hope is left? Jesus declares that even the 'powers of the heavens' will be shaken.
This imagery goes beyond natural disasters. 'Powers of the heavens' refers to the celestial bodies, the cosmic order, and perhaps even the spiritual authorities that govern the world.
Jesus is saying that the very structures people rely on for stability – the predictable movements of stars, the perceived order of the universe, even spiritual or political powers – will be thrown into chaos.
This is a profound disruption, a sign that the established order is collapsing. It’s a moment when everything familiar and secure is violently overturned, leaving people vulnerable and exposed.
Understand the original words
oikoumenē · Greek Noun
In a biblical context, it refers to the entire inhabited earth or the human order of society, often contrasted with the kingdom of God and characterized by its fallen state or susceptibility to divine judgment.
ouranos · Greek Noun
Refers to the celestial bodies, the spiritual realms, or the governing forces of the universe that operate under God's sovereign control; they are subject to being moved or 'shaken' by divine intervention.
Jesus' words describe the profound terror and existential dread that would grip people during the catastrophic events of the Roman-Jewish War, especially the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple.
c. 70 BC - 30 BC
Roman Republic in Turmoil
The late Roman Republic was wracked by civil wars and political instability, creating widespread fear and uncertainty across the Roman world, including Judea.
c. 4 BC
Herod the Great's Reign Ends
The death of Herod the Great, a powerful client king of Rome, led to further political fragmentation and unrest in Judea, heightening anxieties.
AD 6 - 41
Direct Roman Rule in Judea
After Herod Archelaus was deposed, Judea came under direct Roman governance, often marked by harsh rule and simmering rebellion, contributing to an atmosphere of oppression and dread.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus' teachings about the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the signs of the end times, culminating in his crucifixion, set the stage for his disciples' questions about the future.
AD 66 - 73
The First Jewish-Roman War
This brutal conflict, including the devastating siege and destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, brought immense suffering and terror, fulfilling many of Jesus' prophecies.
AD 70
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
The Roman army's complete razing of the Second Temple marked a catastrophic turning point for Judaism and a fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy about its desecration.
This passage describes the terrifying day of the Lord, where the heavens and earth will shake, and people will be in anguish, mirroring the profound fear and cosmic upheaval mentioned in Luke 21:26.
Jeremiah 4:23-29Jeremiah vividly portrays a similar scene of earth and heavens in chaos, with people fainting and fearful because of God's judgment, directly echoing the imagery of devastation and terror in Luke's Gospel.
Matthew 24:29This verse, from Jesus' discourse on the same topic, describes the immediate aftermath of tribulation where the powers of the heavens will be shaken, providing a direct parallel to Luke's account and underscoring the cosmic scale of the events.
Hebrews 12:26-27The author of Hebrews quotes God's voice shaking the earth and heavens, and states that this shaking signifies the removal of created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain, offering a theological interpretation of the cosmic disturbance described in Luke.
pooleLuke 21:26: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."
See Poole on "Luke 21:25"
vincentLuke 21:26: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."
Failing (ἀποψυχόντων)Only here in New Testament. The word originally means to leave off breathing; to swoon. Thus Homer, when Laertes recognizes Ulysses:"He threwRound his dear son his arms. The hardy chief,Ulysses, drew him fainting (ἀποψύχοντα) to his heart."Odyssey, xxiv., 846.So also Sophocles, of Hector dragged behind Achilles' ch…
The Greek word for "failing" here means to "breathe out the soul," painting a visceral picture of terror so profound it's like people are on the verge of death itself. This wasn't just passive worry; it was an active, overwhelming dread of the cosmic upheaval to come.
Jesus has just told his disciples that the magnificent Temple will be utterly destroyed, leading them to ask when these events will happen. He launches into a prophecy about the signs of the end times, including wars, famines, and earthquakes, which will cause widespread distress. This verse describes the intense fear and panic people will experience as they witness these cosmic disturbances and grasp the enormity of what is unfolding.
Jesus has just told his disciples that the magnificent Temple will be utterly destroyed, leading them to ask when these events will happen. He launches into a prophecy about the signs of the end times, including wars, famines, and earthquakes, which will cause widespread distress. This verse describes the intense fear and panic people will experience as they witness these cosmic disturbances and grasp the enormity of what is unfolding.
"people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken." — The Greek word for "failing" here means to "breathe out the soul," painting a visceral picture of terror so profound it's like people are on the verge of death itself. This wasn't just passive worry;…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026