Luke 21

The Widow’s Gift

11Now He looked up and saw the wealthy putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2And He saw a poor widow putting 2in 3two 4lepta coins. 3And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4for they all 5contributed to the 6offering from their 7surplus; but she, from her poverty, put in all 8that she had 9to live on.”

510And while some were talking about the temple, that it was decorated with beautiful stones and 11vowed gifts, He said, 6“As for these things which you are observing, the days will come when 12there will not be left one stone upon 13another, which will not be torn down.”

7They asked Him questions, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the 14sign 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, ‘15I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ 16Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and revolts, do not be alarmed; for these things must take place first, but the end will 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 17massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great 18signs from heaven.

12“But before all these things, 19they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, 20bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name. 1321It will lead to 22an opportunity for your testimony. 1423So 24make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15for 25I will provide you 26eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute. 16But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17and you will be hated by all people because of My name. 18And yet 27not a hair of your head will perish. 1928By your endurance you will gain your 29lives.

20“But when you see Jerusalem 30surrounded by armies, then 31recognize that her desolation is near. 21Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside 32the city must leave, and 33those who are in the country must not enter 34the city; 22because these are 35days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled. 23Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for 36there will be great distress upon the 37land, and wrath to this people; 24and they will fall by 38the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and 39Jerusalem will be 40trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until 41the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Return of Christ

25“There will be 42signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the 43world; for the powers of 44the heavens will be shaken. 27And 45then they will see 46the 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 47your redemption is drawing near.”

29And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees: 30as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and 48know that summer is now near. 31So you too, when you see these things happening, 49recognize that 50the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 3351Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

34“But 52be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that 53this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap; 35for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. 36But 54stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to 55stand before the Son of Man.”

37Now 56during the day He was 57teaching in the temple, but 5859at evening He would go out and spend the night on 60the 61mountain that is called 62Olivet. 38And all the people would get up 63very early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.