< Luke 21 >
1 AND as he looked up, he saw some casting their gifts into the treasury who were rich.
2 And he observed also a certain widow, miserably poor, put in there two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I tell you that this poor widow hath put in more than all they:
4 for all they have of their superfluity cast into the oblations for God: but she out of her indigence hath cast in all the substance which she possessed.
5 And some of them talking of the temple, how adorned it was with the beautiful stone-work and the dedicated offerings, he said,
6 As for these things which ye are gazing upon, the days will come, in which one stone will not be left upon another, that shall not be utterly thrown down.
7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what is the sign, when these things are ready to come to pass?
8 Then he said, Take heed that ye be not deluded: for many will come in my name, saying, I am he; and the period approaches: go not therefore after them.
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the conclusion is not immediately.
10 Then saith he unto them, Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 and great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines, and pestilences; and in the heaven shall be frightful appearances, and mighty signs.
12 But before all these things, they will lay hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and to prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
13 And it shall afford you an opportunity to bear your testimony.
14 Therefore rest satisfied in your hearts, not to premeditate what apology to make:
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall be utterly unable to contradict or resist.
16 But ye shall be betrayed even by parents, and brethren, and relations, and friends; and some of you they shall put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
18 Though a hair of your head shall in nowise perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
20 But when ye see Jerusalem, encircled with armies, then know that the desolation of it approaches.
21 Then let those who are in Judea fly unto the mountains; and let those who are in the midst of her get far away: and they who are in the countries, let them not enter into her.
22 For these are the days of vengeance, when all things which are written shall be fulfilled.
23 But wo to those who are big with child, and have infants at their breasts, in those days! for there shall be great distress on the earth, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, until the times appointed for the Gentiles shall come to their period.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 men terrified to death with fear, and expectation of the calamities coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake a parable unto them, Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees,
30 when they now put forth, as soon as ye see it ye know in yourselves that the summer is now near:
31 so ye also, when ye see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, That this generation shall in nowise pass away, until all these things come to pass.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall never pass away.
34 But take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts should be overloaded with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the anxious cares of life, and that day should come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come upon all that are settled on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch therefore, praying at every proper opportunity, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things which are ready to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
37 And during the day he continued teaching in the temple; but at night he went out, and lodged in the mountain called the mount of Olives.
38 And all the people came to him early in the morning at the temple, to hear him.
