Chapter 21

The Widow’s Gift

1 aAnd He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And He saw a poor widow putting 1in atwo 2small copper coins.

3 And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them;

4 for they all out of their 1surplus put into the 2offering; but she out of her poverty put in all 3that she had ato live on.”

5 aAnd 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 athere will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”

7 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?”

8 And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘aI am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ bDo not go after them.

9 “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.”

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 great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; 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 lead to 1an opportunity for your testimony.

14 “aSo make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;

15 for aI will give you 1utterance 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,

17 and you will be hated by all because of My name.

18 “Yet anot a hair of your head will perish.

19 “aBy your endurance you will gain your 1lives.

20 “But when you see Jerusalem asurrounded by armies, then 1recognize that her desolation is near.

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 country must not enter 1the city;

22 because 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 to this people;

24 and 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.

The Return of Christ

25 “There will be 1signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

26 men 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 “aThen 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.”

29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees;

30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and aknow for yourselves that summer is now near.

31 “So you also, when you see these things happening, 1recognize 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 not pass away.

34 “aBe 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;

35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

36 “But akeep 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 bstand before the Son of Man.”

37 Now 1during the day He was ateaching in the temple, but 2bat evening He would go out and spend the night on 3cthe mount that is called 4Olivet.

38 And all the people would get up aearly in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.