21
A lesson in giving
1 Looking up He saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasure chest.
2 But He also saw a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
3 So He said: “I tell you truly that this poor widow put in more than all of them;
4 because all these others put in gifts for God out of their abundance, but she, out of her destitution, put in all she had to live on.”
* Jerusalem will be destroyed
5 Then, as some were admiring the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,
6 “These things that you see—the days will come in which not one stone will be left upon another that will not be thrown down.”
† The Olivet Discourse
7 So they asked Him, saying: “Teacher, so when will these things be?” and “What will be the sign when these things are about to happen?”
‡ 8 So He said: “Be careful, so as not to be deceived, because many will come in my name saying: ‘I am’ and ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore do not go after them.
9 But whenever you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; because these things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
Things will get bad, really bad
10 Then He said to them: “Nation will be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 And there will be severe earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of my name.
13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
14 So settle it in your hearts not to practice giving a defense beforehand;
15 because I will give you
§ a mouth and wisdom such that all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or withstand.
* 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and relatives, friends and ‘brothers’; and they will put some of you to death.
17 And you will be hated by all because of my name.
† 18 (Not even one hair of your head will be wasted
‡ 19 —you must secure your souls by your endurance.)
Jerusalem will be destroyed
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let those who are in the city get out, and let those who are in the country not enter her.
22 Because these are days of vengeance, that all the written things may be fulfilled.
23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing babies in those days! There will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.
24 Yes, they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
§ Christ will return to the earth
25 “There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, at the roaring and tossing of the sea;
* 26 men fainting from fear and expectation of the things coming on the inhabited earth—because the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
† 27 Then they will see the Son of the Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 Now when these things begin to happen, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Parable of the fig tree
29 Then He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
30 Whenever they are already budding, you see and know by yourselves that summer is now near.
31 So you also, whenever you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.
32 I tell you assuredly, this generation
‡ will certainly not pass away until all has happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
§ Watch and pray
34 “But keep a watch on yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of life, and that Day come upon you suddenly.
35 Because it will come like a trap upon all those who dwell on the surface of the whole earth.
36 So be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy
* to escape all these things
† that are about to happen and to stand before the Son of the Man.”
His daily routine
37 In the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called ‘of Olives.’ 38 Then early in the morning all the people would come to Him in the temple to hear Him.