Luke 21
1 Looking around, Jesus watched rich people putting their gifts into the collection box.
And looking on, he saw the rich men cast their gifts into the treasury.
2 He also saw a very poor widow put in two small coins.
And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two brass mites.
3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.
And he said: Verily I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 All of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty all she had to live on.”
For all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of God: but she of her want, hath cast in all the living that she had.
5 Some of those there were talking about the Temple, its fine stonework and the beautiful gifts that had been donated. But Jesus said,
And some saying of the temple, that it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said:
6 “Regarding these things you're looking at… The time is coming when not one stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed!”
These things which you see, the days will come in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.
7 “Teacher, when will this happen?” they asked him. “What will be the sign that these things are about to happen?”
And they asked him, saying: Master, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when they shall begin to come to pass?
8 “Make sure you're not deceived,” Jesus warned them. “Many people will come claiming to be me, saying, ‘Here I am!’ and, ‘The time has come!’ but don't follow them.
Who said: Take heed you be not seduced; for many will come in my name, saying, I am he; and the time is at hand: go ye not therefore after them.
9 When you hear of wars and revolutions, don't be frightened, because these things have to happen first, but the end won't come immediately.
And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified: these things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet presently.
10 Nation will fight nation, and kingdom will fight kingdom,” he told them.
Then he said to them: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 “There will be severe earthquakes, famines, and epidemic diseases in many lands, and extraordinary signs in the sky that are terrifying.
And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there shall be great signs.
12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will drag you before synagogues and throw you into prison, and put you on trial before kings and governors on account of me.
But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, dragging you before kings and governors, for my name’s sake.
13 But this will provide you an opportunity to speak on my behalf before them.
And it shall happen unto you for a testimony.
14 So make up your mind beforehand not to worry about how to defend yourselves,
Lay it up therefore into your hearts, not to meditate before how you shall answer:
15 for I will give you words of wisdom that your enemies won't be able to dispute or contradict.
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay.
16 You will be betrayed even by your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will kill some of you.
And you shall be betrayed by your parents and brethren, and kinsmen and friends; and some of you they will put to death.
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
And you shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake.
18 But not a single hair of your head will be lost.
But a hair of your head shall not perish.
19 By standing firm you will gain your lives.
In your patience you shall possess your souls.
20 However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its destruction is near.
And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army; then know that the desolation thereof is at hand.
21 Those who are in Judea should run away to the mountains, and those who are in Jerusalem should leave, and those who are the countryside shouldn't enter the city.
Then let those who are in Judea, flee to the mountains; and those who are in the midst thereof, depart out: and those who are in the countries, not enter into it.
22 For these are days of punishment, fulfilling all that's written.
For these are the days of vengeance, that all things may be fulfilled, that are written.
23 How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing babies at that time! For terrible trouble is coming on the land and punishment against this people.
But woe to them that are with child, and give suck in those days; for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 They will be killed by the sword and taken away as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trodden down by the foreign nations until their time is fulfilled.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword; and shall be led away captives into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles; till the times of the nations be fulfilled.
25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth the nations will be in distress, confused by the sea's rolling and crashing.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves;
26 People will be faint from fear, terrified about what is happening to the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved;
27 Then they'll see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty.
28 But when these things happen, stand up and look up, because you will soon be saved.”
But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.
29 Then he told them this story as an illustration. “Look at the fig tree, or any other kind of tree.
And he spoke to them in a similitude. See the fig tree, and all the trees:
30 When you see new leaves appear, you don't need to be told that summer is near.
When they now shoot forth their fruit, you know that summer is nigh;
31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you don't need to be told that God's kingdom is near.
So you also, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand.
32 I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end before all this happens.
Amen, I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, till all things be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my word will not.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
34 Watch out that you don't become distracted by partying or getting drunk or by the worries of this life, so that this day catches you by surprise.
And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly.
35 For this day will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the earth.
For as a snare shall it come upon all that sit upon the face of the whole earth.
36 Always keep watch and pray, so that you may be able to escape all that will happen and stand before the Son of man.”
Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.
37 Every day Jesus taught in the Temple, and every evening he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.
And in the daytime, he was teaching in the temple; but at night, going out, he abode in the mount that is called Olivet.
38 All the people came early in the morning to listen to him in the Temple.
And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.
