Luke 21
The Widow's Offering
1 As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple offering boxes.2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
3 "What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus said. "That poor widow has put in more than all the others.4 All of those other people gave a lot because they are rich. But even though she is poor, she put in everything. She had nothing left to live on."
Signs of the End
5 Some of Jesus' disciples were talking about the temple. They spoke about how it was decorated with beautiful stones and with gifts that honored God. But Jesus asked,6 "Do you see all this? The time will come when not one stone will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down."
7 "Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?"
8 Jesus replied, "Keep watch! Be careful that you are not fooled. Many will come in my name. They will claim, 'I am he!' And they will say, 'The time is near!' Do not follow them.9 Do not be afraid when you hear about wars and about fighting against rulers. Those things must happen first. But the end will not come right away."
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom.11 In many places there will be powerful earthquakes. People will go hungry. There will be terrible sicknesses. Things will happen that will make people afraid. There will be great and miraculous signs from heaven.
12 "But before all this, people will arrest you and treat you badly. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons. You will be brought to kings and governors. All this will happen to you because of my name.13 In that way you will be witnesses to them.14 But make up your mind not to worry ahead of time about how to stand up for yourselves.15 I will give you words of wisdom. None of your enemies will be able to withstand them or oppose them.
16 "Even your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends will hand you over to the authorities. They will put some of you to death.17 Everyone will hate you because of me.18 But not a hair on your head will be harmed.19 If you stand firm, you will gain life.
20 "A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.21 Those who are in Judea should then escape to the mountains. Those in the city should get out. Those in the country should not enter the city.22 This is the time when God will punish Jerusalem. Everything will come true, just as it has been written.
23 "How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! There will be terrible suffering in the land. There will be great anger against those people.24 Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be overrun by those who aren't Jews until the times of the non-Jews come to an end.
25 "There will be miraculous signs in the sun, moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the roaring and tossing of the sea.26 Terror will make people faint. They will be worried about what is happening in the world. The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from their places.
27 "At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. He will come with power and great glory.28 When these things begin to take place, stand up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The time when you will be set free will be very close."
29 Jesus told them a story. "Look at the fig tree and all the trees," he said.30 "When you see leaves appear on the branches, you know that summer is near.31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that God's kingdom is near.
32 "What I'm about to tell you is true. The people living at that time will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.33 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.
34 "Be careful. If you aren't, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. You will not be expecting it.35 That day will come upon every person who lives on the whole earth.
36 "Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes."
37 Each day Jesus taught at the temple. And each evening he went to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.38 All the people came to the temple early in the morning. They wanted to hear Jesus speak.
Luke 21
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury.2 And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:4 for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said,6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them.9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;11 and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven.12 But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.13 It shall turn out unto you for a testimony.14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer:15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay.16 But ye shall be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.18 And not a hair of your head shall perish.19 In your patience ye shall win your souls.20 But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.21 Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein.22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.23 Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.25 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows;26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.28 But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.29 And he spake to them a parable: Behold the fig tree, and all the trees:30 when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the summer is now nigh.31 Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh.32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things be accomplished.33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.34 But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:35 for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth.36 But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.37 And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called Olivet.38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.