< Luke 21 >
1 Looking around, Jesus watched rich people putting their gifts into the collection box.
2 He also saw a very poor widow put in two small coins.
3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.
4 All of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty all she had to live on.”
5 Some of those there were talking about the Temple, its fine stonework and the beautiful gifts that had been donated. But Jesus 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!”
7 “Teacher, when will this happen?” they asked him. “What will be the sign that these things are about to happen?”
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.
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.
10 Nation will fight nation, and kingdom will fight kingdom,” he told them.
11 “There will be severe earthquakes, famines, and epidemic diseases in many lands, and extraordinary signs in the sky that are terrifying.
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.
13 But this will provide you an opportunity to speak on my behalf before them.
14 So make up your mind beforehand not to worry about how to defend yourselves,
15 for I will give you words of wisdom that your enemies won't be able to dispute or contradict.
16 You will be betrayed even by your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will kill some of you.
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
18 But not a single hair of your head will be lost.
19 By standing firm you will gain your lives.
20 However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its destruction is near.
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.
22 For these are days of punishment, fulfilling all that's 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.
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.
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.
26 People will be faint from fear, terrified about what is happening to the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
27 Then they'll see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 But when these things happen, stand up and look up, because you will soon be saved.”
29 Then he told them this story as an illustration. “Look at the fig tree, or any other kind of tree.
30 When you see new leaves appear, you don't need to be told that summer is near.
31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you don't need to be told that God's kingdom is near.
32 I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end before all this happens.
33 Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my word will not.
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.
35 For this day will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the 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.”
37 Every day Jesus taught in the Temple, and every evening he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.
38 All the people came early in the morning to listen to him in the Temple.
