The Widow’s Gift

21 (A)Now He looked up and saw the wealthy putting their gifts into the temple treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting [a]in (B)two [b]lepta coins. And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all [c]contributed to the [d]offering from their [e]surplus; but she, from her poverty, put in all [f]that she had (C)to live on.”

(D)And while some were talking about the temple, that it was decorated with beautiful stones and [g]vowed gifts, He said, As for these things which you are observing, the days will come when (E)there will not be left one stone upon [h]another, which will not be torn down.”

They asked Him questions, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the [i]sign when these things are about to take place?” And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘(F)I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ (G)Do not go after them. And 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

10 Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be [j]massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great [k]signs from heaven.

12 “But before all these things, (H)they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, [l]bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name. 13 (I)It will lead to [m]an opportunity for your testimony. 14 (J)So [n]make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for (K)I will provide you [o]eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute. 16 But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17 and you will be hated by all people because of My name. 18 And yet (L)not a hair of your head will perish. 19 (M)By your endurance you will gain your [p]lives.

20 “But when you see Jerusalem (N)surrounded by armies, then [q]recognize that her desolation is near. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside [r]the city must leave, and (O)those who are in the country must not enter [s]the city; 22 because these are (P)days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for (Q)there will be great distress upon the [t]land, and wrath to this people; 24 and they will fall by (R)the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and (S)Jerusalem will be (T)trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until (U)the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Return of Christ

25 “There will be [u]signs 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, 26 people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the [v]world; for the powers of [w]the heavens will be shaken. 27 And (V)then they will see (W)the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because (X)your redemption is drawing near.”

29 And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees: 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and (Y)know that summer is now near. 31 So you too, when you see these things happening, [x]recognize that (Z)the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33 (AA)Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

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

37 Now [z]during the day He was (AE)teaching in the temple, but [aa](AF)at evening He would go out and spend the night on (AG)the [ab]mountain that is called [ac]Olivet. 38 And all the people would get up (AH)very early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 21:2 Lit there
  2. Luke 21:2 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
  3. Luke 21:4 Lit put into
  4. Luke 21:4 Lit gifts
  5. Luke 21:4 Lit abundance
  6. Luke 21:4 Lit the living that she had
  7. Luke 21:5 I.e., gifts promised by vows
  8. Luke 21:6 Lit a stone
  9. Luke 21:7 I.e., confirming miracle
  10. Luke 21:11 Lit great
  11. Luke 21:11 I.e., confirming miracles
  12. Luke 21:12 Lit being brought
  13. Luke 21:13 Lit a testimony for you
  14. Luke 21:14 Lit put in your hearts
  15. Luke 21:15 Lit a mouth
  16. Luke 21:19 Lit souls
  17. Luke 21:20 Lit know
  18. Luke 21:21 Lit her
  19. Luke 21:21 Lit her
  20. Luke 21:23 Or earth
  21. Luke 21:25 I.e., confirming miracles
  22. Luke 21:26 Lit inhabited earth
  23. Luke 21:26 Or heaven
  24. Luke 21:31 Lit know
  25. Luke 21:34 Lit that day
  26. Luke 21:37 Lit days
  27. Luke 21:37 Lit nights
  28. Luke 21:37 Or hill
  29. Luke 21:37 Or Olive Grove

21 And having looked up, he saw those who did cast their gifts to the treasury -- rich men,

and he saw also a certain poor widow casting there two mites,

and he said, `Truly I say to you, that this poor widow did cast in more than all;

for all these out of their superabundance did cast into the gifts to God, but this one out of her want, all the living that she had, did cast in.'

And certain saying about the temple, that with goodly stones and devoted things it hath been adorned, he said,

`These things that ye behold -- days will come, in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.'

And they questioned him, saying, `Teacher, when, then, shall these things be? and what [is] the sign when these things may be about to happen?'

And he said, `See -- ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am [he], and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after them;

and when ye may hear of wars and uprisings, be not terrified, for it behoveth these things to happen first, but the end [is] not immediately.'

10 Then said he to them, `Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,

11 great shakings also in every place, and famines, and pestilences, there shall be; fearful things also, and great signs from heaven there shall be;

12 and before all these, they shall lay on you their hands, and persecute, delivering up to synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for my name's sake;

13 and it shall become to you for a testimony.

14 `Settle, then, to your hearts, not to meditate beforehand to reply,

15 for I will give to you a mouth and wisdom that all your opposers shall not be able to refute or resist.

16 `And ye shall be delivered up also by parents, and brothers, and kindred, and friends, and they shall put of you to death;

17 and ye shall be hated by all because of my name --

18 and a hair out of your head shall not perish;

19 in your patience possess ye your souls.

20 `And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;

21 then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart out; and those in the countries, let them not come in to her;

22 because these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all things that have been written.

23 `And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; for there shall be great distress on the land, and wrath on this people;

24 and they shall fall by the mouth of the sword, and shall be led captive to all the nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by nations, till the times of nations be fulfilled.

25 `And there shall be signs in sun, and moon, and stars, and on the land [is] distress of nations with perplexity, sea and billow roaring;

26 men fainting at heart from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

27 `And then they shall see the Son of Man, coming in a cloud, with power and much glory;

28 and these things beginning to happen bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption doth draw nigh.'

29 And he spake a simile to them: `See the fig-tree, and all the trees,

30 when they may now cast forth, having seen, of yourselves ye know that now is the summer nigh;

31 so also ye, when ye may see these things happening, ye know that near is the reign of God;

32 verily I say to you -- This generation may not pass away till all may have come to pass;

33 the heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words may not pass away.

34 `And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts may be weighed down with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day may come on you,

35 for as a snare it shall come on all those dwelling on the face of all the land,

36 watch ye, then, in every season, praying that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.'

37 And he was during the days in the temple teaching, and during the nights, going forth, he was lodging at the mount called of Olives;

38 and all the people were coming early unto him in the temple to hear him.