Another voice from heaven said “Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins and share in her plagues. Her sins are as high as heaven. God has remembered her iniquities. She will be repaid double for her deeds. Mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed. She glorified herself and lived luxuriously. Give her torment and grief. She said that she ruled like a queen who would never see grief. Her plagues will come in a single day, pestilence, mourning, and famine. She will be burned with fire. Mighty is the Lord God who judges her! The kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see her burning smoke. They will be far off with fear and say, “Woe! Woe! The great city! Babylon! The mighty city! In one hour, your judgment has come.” Have you ever been told to leave before something bad happens?
Leave the city
Leave the city (Acts 16:39)
“The magistrates came.
They apologized
To Paul and Silas.
They took them out.
Then they asked them
To leave the city.”
καὶ ἐλθόντες παρεκάλεσαν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐξαγαγόντες ἠρώτων ἀπελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως.
The author of Acts indicated that the magistrates came (καὶ ἐλθόντες) and apologized or appealed (παρεκάλεσαν) to Paul and Silas (αὐτούς). Then the magistrates led them out (καὶ ἐξαγαγόντες) of jail. Then they asked (ἠρώτων) Paul and Silas to leave (ἀπελθεῖν) the city (ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως). Thus, the magistrates themselves showed up and tried to appease Paul and Silas. They personally led them out of jail, but they asked if both Paul and Silas would leave the town so as not to cause any more disturbances. Paul seemed to be okay with this request, at least he did not complain. Has anybody ever apologized to you?
Leave the city (Lk 21:21-21:21)
“Then those in Judea
Must flee
To the mountains.
Those inside the city
Must leave it.
Those out in the country
Must not enter the city.”
τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη, καὶ οἱ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐκχωρείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἐν ταῖς χώραις μὴ εἰσερχέσθωσαν εἰς αὐτήν,
Luke indicated that Jesus said that those in Judea (τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ) should flee to the mountains (φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη). Those people inside the city (καὶ οἱ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς) ought to leave it (ἐκχωρείτωσαν). Once again, this a unique term of Luke, ἐκχωρείτωσαν that means to depart, withdraw, go out, or flee. Also, those out in the country (καὶ οἱ ἐν ταῖς χώραις), should not enter the city (μὴ εἰσερχέσθωσαν εἰς αὐτήν). This is exactly the same, word for word in Mark, chapter 13:14, and in Matthew, chapter 24:16, except that Luke added this idea about not coming into the city. Mark indicated that Jesus said that those people in Judea (τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ) should flee or escape to the mountains or the hills (φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη). Matthew was exactly the same. Jesus said that those people in Judea (τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ) should flee or escape to the mountains or the hills (φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη). Head to the hills! Maybe this is a reference to the Jewish revolt in 66-70 CE, when many Jews fled Judea as the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. They were to get out of Dodge, leave the city of Jerusalem. Have you ever had to flee from some place?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 