A common misinterpretation treats this verse as dismissing all wars and conflicts as insignificant or unrelated to divine purposes, leading some to ignore genuine threats or justify inaction; others erroneously use it to prematurely declare every conflict as the definitive 'beginning of sorrows' signaling the instant end, fostering false prophecies and date-setting that have repeatedly disappointed believers throughout history.
Luke 21:9
King James Version (1769)
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
In the context of Jesus' discourse on the signs preceding the end times, this passage reassures disciples that hearing about wars and upheavals is not cause for terror, as these events are necessary precursors that must occur first, though they do not signal the immediate arrival of the end, encouraging steadfastness amid global turmoil rather than panic.