1As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their gifts into the temple offering boxes.2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.3‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus said. ‘That poor widow has put in more than all the others.4All these other people gave a lot because they are rich. But even though she is poor, she put in everything. She had nothing left to live on.’
When the temple will be destroyed and the signs of the end
5Some of Jesus’ disciples were talking about the temple. They spoke about how it was decorated with beautiful stones and with gifts that honoured God. But Jesus asked,6‘Do you see all this? The time will come when not one stone will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.’7‘Teacher’, they asked, ‘when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?’8Jesus replied, ‘Keep watch! Be careful that you are not fooled. Many will come in my name. They will claim, “I am he!” And they will say, “The time is near!” Do not follow them.9Do not be afraid when you hear about wars and about fighting against rulers. Those things must happen first. But the end will not come right away.’10Then Jesus said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom.11In many places there will be powerful earthquakes. People will go hungry. There will be terrible diseases. Things will happen that will make people afraid. There will be great and miraculous signs from heaven.12‘But before all this, people will arrest you and treat you badly. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison. You will be brought to kings and governors. All this will happen to you because of my name.13And so you will be witnesses about me.14But make up your mind not to worry in advance about how to stand up for yourselves.15I will give you words of wisdom. None of your enemies will be able to withstand them or prove them wrong.16Even your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends will hand you over to the authorities. The authorities will put some of you to death.17Everyone will hate you because of me.18But not a hair on your head will be harmed.19Remain strong in the faith, and you will receive eternal life.20‘A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.21Those who are in Judea should then escape to the mountains. Those in the city should get out. Those in the country should not enter the city.22This is the time when God will punish Jerusalem. Everything will come true, just as it has been written.23How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! There will be terrible suffering in the land. There will be great anger against those people.24Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be taken over by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles come to an end.25‘There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the roaring and tossing of the sea.26Terror will make people faint. They will be worried about what is happening in the world. The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from their places.27At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. He will come with power and great glory.28When these things begin to take place, stand up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The time when you will be set free will be very close.’29Jesus told them a story. ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees,’ he said.30‘When you see leaves appear on the branches, you know that summer is near.31In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that God’s kingdom is near.32‘What I’m about to tell you is true. The people living now will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.33Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.34‘Be careful. If you aren’t, your hearts will be loaded down with wasteful living, drunkenness and the worries of life. Then the day the Son of Man returns will close on you like a trap. It will happen suddenly.35That day will come on every person who lives on the whole earth.36Always keep watching. Pray that you will be able to escape all that is about to happen. Also, pray that you will not be judged guilty when the Son of Man comes.’37Each day Jesus taught at the temple. And each evening he went to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.38All the people came to the temple early in the morning. They wanted to hear Jesus speak.
Luke 21
English Standard Version
The Widow’s Offering
1Jesus[1] looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, (2Ki 12:9; Mr 12:41; Joh 8:20)2and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.[2] (Lu 12:59)3And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. (2Co 8:2; 2Co 8:12)4For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Lu 8:43; Php 4:11)
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
5And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, (Mt 24:1; Mr 13:1)6“As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Lu 17:22; Lu 19:43)7And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” (Ac 1:6)8And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. (Jer 14:14; Jer 29:8; Mt 3:2; Mt 4:17; Mr 1:15; Joh 8:24; Eph 5:6; Col 2:8; 2Th 2:3; 1Jo 2:18; 1Jo 3:7)9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” (Lu 24:37; Re 1:1)
20“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. (Da 9:27; Lu 19:43)21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it,22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. (Isa 34:8; Isa 63:4; Ho 9:7; Mt 1:22; Lu 18:7)23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. (Lu 23:29; 1Th 2:16)24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (De 28:64; Ps 79:1; Isa 63:3; Isa 63:18; Da 8:13; Da 12:7; Zec 12:3; Ro 11:25; Re 11:2)
29And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.30As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. (Mt 16:3; Lu 12:57)31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.32Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. (Lu 9:27)33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Ps 102:26; Ps 119:89; Isa 40:8; Isa 51:6; Mt 5:18; Heb 12:27; 1Pe 1:23; 1Pe 1:25; 2Pe 3:10)