Luke 17:29
ESV
but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all —
NIV
But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
NASB
but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
CSB
But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.
NLT
until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
KJV
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
NKJV
but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
What does Luke 17:29 mean?
The second coming of Jesus Christ will resemble the judgment against Sodom: sudden, unexpected, and unmistakable. Lot, Abraham's nephew, had wealth in his livestock, but chose to live in the sinful city of Sodom. One night, two angels arrived to warn Lot to take his family and flee before God destroyed the city (Genesis 19).That day, the people of Sodom "were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building" (Luke 17:28). They didn't know they were going to be destroyed that night. Revelation 18 shows that the economic power of the tribulation-era Babylon will look remarkably similar.
As Lot, his wife, and his daughters ran to the hills, God "rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire" (Genesis 19:24). Jesus promises, "so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed" (Luke 17:30). During the tribulation, when the sixth angel blows his trumpet, a massive angelic army, mounted on horses with heads like lions, will destroy a third of all humanity. One of the weapons they will use is the breath of the horses: "fire and smoke and sulfur" (Revelation 9:13–19).
For centuries, the veracity of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah was doubted. Today, many archaeologists think Sodom has been found in one of two locations, one of which is the ruins of a city that wasn't destroyed by burning sulfur but by a meteor. Further investigation may give more definitive answers. Until then, the discovery gives us a jolt of confidence that God's words about Sodom are true, and so is His prophecy of coming judgment.
Luke 17:22–37 may create confusion for two reasons. The first is where to place the events in relation to the end times. Are they before the rapture or at the end of the tribulation? The second complication is the placement of Jesus' teaching. Did He deliver this message while traveling through Galilee and Samaria, or outside of Jerusalem during the final week prior to His crucifixion? Ultimately, neither question is as important as the clear message: Jesus' return will be unmistakable, and those who are not ready will suffer greatly. This passage covers similar material to Matthew 24 and Mark 13.
In his gospel, Luke has often arranged events by theme rather than by strict time order. That seems likely here with a series of teachings about living as Christ followers and ambassadors of God. Christians ought to be careful not to poison the faith of others. Faith is powerful. God's servants should not demand extravagant treatment in return. After healing ten lepers—only one of whom offers thanks—Jesus discusses the state of the world at His future second coming.