Luke 21

The Widow’s Gift

11And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2And He saw a poor widow putting 2in 3two 4small copper coins. 3And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4for they all out of their 5surplus put into the 6offering; but she out of her poverty put in all 7that she had 8to live on.”

59And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, 6“As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which 10there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”

7They questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the 11sign when these things are about to take place?” 8And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘12I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ 13Do not go after them. 9When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”

Things to Come

10Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great 14signs from heaven.

12“But before all these things, 15they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, 16bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 1317It will lead to 18an opportunity for your testimony. 1419So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15for 20I will give you 21utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18Yet 22not a hair of your head will perish. 1923By your endurance you will gain your 24lives.

20“But when you see Jerusalem 25surrounded by armies, then 26recognize that her desolation is near. 21Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of 27the city must leave, and 28those who are in the country must not enter 29the city; 22because these are 30days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for 31there will be great distress upon the 32land and wrath to this people; 24and they will fall by 33the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and 34Jerusalem will be 35trampled under foot by the Gentiles until 36the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Return of Christ

25“There will be 37signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the 38world; for the powers of 39the heavens will be shaken. 2740Then they will see 41the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because 42your redemption is drawing near.”

29Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and 43know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31So you also, when you see these things happening, 44recognize that 45the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I say to you, this 46generation will not pass away until all things take place. 3347Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

34“48Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36But 49keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to 50stand before the Son of Man.”

37Now 51during the day He was 52teaching in the temple, but 5354at evening He would go out and spend the night on 5556the mount that is called 57Olivet. 38And all the people would get up 58early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.