Luke 21:20

Compassed with armies (kukloumenhn upo stratopedwn). Present passive participle of kuklow, to circle, encircle, from kuklo, circle. Old verb, but only four times in N.T. The point of this warning is the present tense, being encircled. It will be too late after the city is surrounded. It is objected by some that Jesus, not to say Luke, could not have spoken (or written) these words before the Roman armies came. One may ask why not, if such a thing as predictive prophecy can exist and especially in the case of the Lord Jesus. The word stratopedwn (strato, army, pedon, plain) is a military camp and then an army in camp. Old word, but only here in the N.T. Then know (tote gnwte). Second aorist active imperative of ginwskw. Christians did flee from Jerusalem to Pella before it was too late as directed in Luke 21:21 ; Mark 13:14 ; Matthew 24:16 .