Luke 21

21 ¹Looking up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. ²He also saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.

³"Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. ⁴For all these gave gifts from their surplus, but she gave from her poverty all she had to live on."

The Temple Will Fall

⁵As some were speaking of the temple, decorated with fine stones and gifts dedicated to our Father, he said:

⁶"As for what you're looking at, days are coming when not one stone will be left on another—every one will be thrown down."

⁷"Teacher," they asked, "when will these things happen, and what sign will show these things are about to happen?"

⁸"Watch out, don't be deceived," he said. "Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Don't follow them. ⁹When you hear of wars and revolts, don't panic. These must come first, but the end won't follow at once."

¹⁰Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹Great earthquakes will strike, with famines and plagues in various places, and terrors and great signs from heaven. ¹²But before all this, they'll grab you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons, hauling you before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³This will be your opportunity to bear witness. ¹⁴So settle in your hearts not to prepare your defense beforehand, ¹⁵for I will give you words and wisdom no opponent can resist or refute. ¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will kill some of you. ¹⁷You will be hated by everyone for my name's sake. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your lives."

²⁰"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near. ²¹Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city leave, and let those in the countryside not enter it, ²²for these are days of judgment, when all that is written will be fulfilled. ²³How terrible it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! For great distress will fall on the land, and wrath against this people. ²⁴They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled by the nations until the times of the nations are fulfilled."

²⁵"There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars, and on earth, nations in distress, confused by the sea's roar and surge. ²⁶People fainting from fear, dreading what's coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸When these things start, straighten up and lift your heads, for your redemption is near."

²⁹Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰When they sprout leaves, you see for yourselves and know summer is already near. ³¹Likewise, when you see these things happen, know the kingdom of our Father is near. ³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."

³⁴"Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by wild living, drunkenness, and life's worries, and that day will spring on you suddenly, like a trap. ³⁵For it will come upon everyone living on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Keep watch at all times, praying for strength to escape everything about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man."

³⁷By day he taught in the temple; at night he went out and stayed on the Mount of Olives. ³⁸All the people would come to him at dawn in the temple to hear him.