Luke 21
The Widow’s Offering
21aAnd He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2And He saw a poor widow putting 1in atwo 2lepta. 3And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. 4“For they all put in their gifts out of their abundance; but she, out of what she lacked, put in all 1that she had afor living.”
5aAnd while some were talking about the temple, that it had been adorned with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, 6“As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which athere will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”
7So they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the 1sign when these things are about to take place?” 8And He said, “See to it that you are not deceived; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘aI am He,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ bDo not go after them. 9“And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”
Signs of Christ’s Return
10Then He continued saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be terrors and great 1signs from heaven.
12“But before all these things, athey will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, 1bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13“aIt will result in 1an opportunity for your testimony. 14“aSo set in your hearts not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15for aI will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16“But 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. 18“Yet anot a hair of your head will perish. 19“aBy your perseverance you will gain your 1lives.
20“But when you see Jerusalem asurrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. 21“Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of 1the city must leave, and athose who are in the countryside must not enter 2the city; 22because these are adays of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23“Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for athere will be great distress upon the 1land and wrath against this people, 24and they will fall by athe edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and bJerusalem will be ctrampled under foot by the Gentiles until dthe times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
When Christ Returns
25“And there will be 1signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish 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 1world; for the powers of 2the heavens will be shaken. 27“aAnd then they will see bthe 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 ayour redemption is drawing near.”
The Parable of the Fig Tree
29Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they put forth leaves and you see it for yourselves, aknow that summer is now near. 31“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that athe kingdom of God is near. 32“Truly I say to you, this 1generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33“aHeaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
34“aBut be on guard, so that your hearts will not be overcome 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 inhabit the face of all the earth. 36“But akeep on the alert at all times, praying earnestly that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to bstand before the Son of Man.”