Luke 21
1 Looking up, Jesus saw the rich people putting their gifts into the chests for the Temple offerings.
[Jesus] looked up [from where he was sitting] and saw rich people putting their gifts into the [offering] boxes [in the Temple courtyard].
2 He saw, too, a widow in poor circumstances putting two farthings into them.
He also saw a poor widow putting in two [small] copper coins.
3 On this he said: “I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others;
He said [to his disciples], “The truth is that these rich people have a lot of money, [but] they gave [only a small part of it]. But this woman, who is very poor, has put in all the money that she had to pay for the things she needs! So [God considers that] [HYP] this poor widow has put more money into the box than all the others.”
4 for every one else here put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live upon.”
5 When some of them spoke about the Temple being decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said:
Some [of Jesus’ disciples] talked about the Temple. [They commented about] the beautiful stones [used in building the Temple] and the other decorations that [people] had given, decorations [that were on the walls]. But he said,
6 “As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down.”
“[I want to tell you something about] these things that you are looking at. [They will be destroyed] {[Foreign invaders will] destroy [these buildings]} [completely]. Every stone [in these buildings] will be thrown down {They will throw down every stone in these buildings}. Not one stone will be left {They will not leave one stone} on top of another.”
7 So the disciples questioned Jesus: “But, Teacher, when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is near?”
[Later] his disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will that happen? What will happen [to the temple] to indicate that the things [you(sg) just told us] are about to happen?”
8 And Jesus said: “See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying ‘I am He,’ and ‘The time is close at hand.’ Do not follow them.
He said, “[All that I will say is], be sure that you are not deceived {that they do not deceive [you]} [about these things]! Many [people] will come and say (that I [sent them]/that they have my authority) [MTY]. They will say, ‘I am [the Messiah]!’ They will also [say] ‘It is now the time [when God will begin to rule]!’ Do not follow them [to become their disciples]
9 And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once.”
Also, whenever you hear about wars and riots, do not be terrified. Keep in mind that [God has said that] those things must happen. But [when they happen], it will not mean that [the world] will end right away!”
10 Then he said to them: “‘Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,’
Then he said to them, “[Groups in various] countries will fight each other, and [various] governments [will also fight] against each other.
11 And there will be great earthquakes, and plagues and famines in various places, and there will be terrible appearances and signs in the heavens.
There will be [big] earthquakes, and in various places there will be famines and plagues. [People will see] things that will terrify them. There will also be unusual things happening in the sky.
12 Before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and they will betray you to Synagogues and put you in prison, when you will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my Name.
But before all these things happen, [some of] you will be persecuted and arrested {people will persecute some of you and arrest you} [MTY]. [Some of] you will be put {They will put [some of] you} [on trial] in the places where you gather to worship, and [you will be thrown] into prison. You will be put on trial {[They] will put you on trial} in front of high government authorities because you are my [MTY] [disciples].
13 Then will be your opportunity of witnessing for me.
That will be a time for you to tell [them about me].
14 Make up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defence;
So determine within yourselves not to be worrying before that happens what you will say to defend yourselves,
15 for I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy.
because I will make you wise [HEN] so that you will [know] what to say. As a result, none of your enemies will be able to oppose what you say or (refute you/show that you are wrong).
16 You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and sisters and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death,
[And there will also be other evil things that will happen]: Even your parents and brothers and [other] relatives and friends [who do not believe in me] will (betray you/help your enemies to seize you). They will kill some of you.
17 and you will be hated by every one on account of my Name.
[In general], most people will [HYP] hate you because [you believe in] me [MTY].
18 Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost!
But your souls will be absolutely safe [IDM].
19 By your endurance you shall win yourselves Life.
By enduring [all these things people will do to you], you will preserve your [eternal] life [SYN].”
20 As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand.
“But when you see that Jerusalem has been surrounded by the armies of [your enemies], you will know that it is time for [this city] to be completely destroyed {[them] to completely destroy [this city]}.
21 Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains, those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once, and those who are in the country places must not go into it.
At that time those [of you] who are in Judea [district] must flee to the [higher] hills. Those who are in this city must leave [quickly]. Those who are in the nearby countryside must not go back into the city [to get any of their possessions before they flee].
22 For these are to be the Days of Vengeance, when all that Scripture says will be fulfilled.
[You must obey what I tell you] because, in order that all the things that are written [in the Scriptures] will be fulfilled, [God] will very severely punish [the people who stay in this city].
23 Alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people.
[I feel] very sorry for women [in this city] who will be pregnant, and women who will be nursing [their babies] in those days, [because it will be very difficult for them to run away! I] feel sorry [because] the people in this [land] will suffer greatly [MTY] [when God punishes them].
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and ‘Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,’ until their day is over — as it shall be.
Many of them will be killed {Their enemies will kill many of them} with swords. [Others will be captured] and taken {They will capture [others] and take them} to [HYP] [other] countries. Non-Jewish people will trample over Jerusalem until the time [that God has determined for them to rule the city] is ended.”
25 There will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge.
“There will also be strange things that will [happen to] the sun, the moon, and the stars. In [many] nations, [people] will be very frightened, and they will be anxious [when they hear] the ocean roaring and [see huge] waves.
26 Men’s hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for ‘the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.’
People will faint because they will be afraid as they wait for what will happen. [They will be afraid] because the powerful [objects] in the sky will be shaken {shake}.
27 Then will be seen the ‘Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.
Then they will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming in a cloud powerfully and very gloriously.
28 And, when these things begin to occur, look upwards and lift your heads, for your deliverance will be at hand.”
So when these things that [I have just now described] begin to happen, stand up [straight and] be brave, because it will be close to the time when [God] will free you [from all suffering].”
29 Then he taught them a lesson thus — “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.
[Then] Jesus told his disciples this parable: “Think about the fig tree, and all the [other] trees.
30 As soon as they shoot, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near.
As soon as you see their leaves beginning to sprout, you know that summer is near.
31 And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Similarly, when you see these things that [I have just described] happening, you will know that it is almost time for God to [truly] rule as king.
32 I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away till all has taken place.
Keep this in mind: All the things that [I have just now described] will happen before all the people who have observed the things that I have done have died.
33 The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
[You can be certain that these things] that I have told [you] about will happen. That they will happen is more [certain] than that the earth and sky will continue to exist.”
34 Be on your guard lest your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest ‘That Day’ should come suddenly upon you, like a snare.
“But be on guard. Do not be getting drunk with carousing or let yourselves be distracted by worries [concerning] your lives [SYN] {or let worries [concerning] your lives [SYN] distract you}. [If you do wrong things like those, you may be suddenly surprised by my return] [MTY], like a trap [suddenly catches an animal in it].
35 For come it will upon all who are living upon the face of the whole earth.
[You need to know that my return will surprise] everyone all over the earth.
36 Be on the watch at all times, and pray that you may have strength to escape all that is destined to happen, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.”
So be ready at all times. Pray that you will be able to endure without being afraid of all these [difficult] things that will happen, so that you will then stand [confidently] before me, the one who came from heaven.”
37 During the days, Jesus continued to teach in the Temple Courts, but he went out and spent the nights on the hill called the ‘Mount of Olives.’
Each day [during that week Jesus] taught the people in the Temple [courtyard in Jerusalem]. But at night he [and his disciples] left [the city] and stayed on Olive [Tree] Hill.
38 And all the people would get up early in the morning and come to listen to him in the Temple Courts.
Early [each] morning many people came to the Temple [courtyard] to listen to him.
