And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

LUKE 21:38KJV
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Luke 21:38 (KJV)

What does Luke 21:38 mean?

Luke 21:38 describes how crowds of people would come early in the morning to the temple to listen to Jesus teach. The verse highlights the eagerness and dedication of the people to hear Jesus' words during His final days in Jerusalem.

In this scene, Jesus is in Jerusalem, teaching openly in the temple courts. The people’s willingness to come early shows their strong interest and respect for what Jesus was saying, even as tensions with the religious leaders were rising. This verse sets the atmosphere of anticipation and attention that surrounded Jesus’ public teaching at this crucial moment.

The Greek behind Luke 21:38

  • πρωΐ (prōi, "morning"): This word means "early in the morning," emphasizing that people were not just coming, but making an effort to arrive at the start of the day.
  • ἀκούειν (akouein, "to hear"): The Greek carries the idea of attentive listening, not just physically hearing but coming with the purpose of learning from Jesus.

Why Luke 21:38 matters

  • Luke 21:38 shows the contrast between the ordinary people’s hunger for Jesus’ teaching and the hostility of the religious leaders described elsewhere in the chapter.
  • The verse helps clarify that Jesus’ influence was still strong and positive among the general population, even as opposition grew.
  • This detail connects to the wider narrative by showing why the authorities felt threatened by Jesus’ popularity and why they acted in secret to arrest Him.

Where else these words appear

“temple” Greek G2411 · used in 67 verses

  • Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
  • Luke 19:45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
  • Acts 3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

“people” Greek G2992 · used in 139 verses

  • Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
  • Luke 22:66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
  • Acts 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.