Luke 21

1 And he looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw a needy widow putting two lepta in there, [a] 3 and he said, “Truly I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for all these put into the gifts out of what they have to spare, but she out of her need put in all the living she had.” [b] †

5 And while some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with fine stones and offerings given to God, he said, [c] 6 “These things you are looking at — days will come in which not one stone will be left on another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they questioned him, saying, “Teacher, when then will these things be, and what is the sign when these things are about to happen?”

8 And he said, “Watch out that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time has come near.’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and unrest, do not be terrified; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come at once.” 10 Then he was saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in place after place famines and plagues; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. [d]

12 “But before all these things they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and you will be led away before kings and governors for the sake of my name. 13 It will turn out for you as a testimony. 14 So settle it in your hearts not to prepare your defense beforehand; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that none of those set against you will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 And you will be handed over 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 And not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance gain your souls. [e] †

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that her desolation has come near. 21 Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those inside her get out, and let those in the country not go into her, 22 because these are days of vengeance, for all that is written to be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing in those days! For there will be great hardship on the land, and wrath against this people; [f] 24 and they will fall by the mouth of the sword and be taken captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled by nations, until the times of the nations are fulfilled. [g]

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations at a loss before the roaring of the sea and the swell, 26 people fainting from fear and from expectation of what is coming upon the inhabited world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and much glory. [h] 28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your ransoming is drawing near.” [i]

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they have already budded, you see it for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So you too, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I tell you that this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

34 “But watch yourselves, so that your hearts are not weighed down by the heaviness of drinking and by drunkenness and by the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly [j] 35 like a trap; for it will come in upon all who sit on the face of all the earth. 36 But stay alert at every time, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 And by day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and lodge on the mountain called the Olive Grove; [k] 38 and all the people would come to him early in the morning in the temple to hear him.