Luke 21

Modern

Literal

The Poor Widow’s Offering

¹Then Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,

¹And having looked up, He saw the ones casting their gifts into the treasury—the rich.

²and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.^a

²And He saw a certain poor widow casting there two lepta.

³“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

³“And He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow cast in more than all.

⁴For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

⁴For these all cast in the gifts out of that which is abounding to them, but she out of her lack cast in all the livelihood that she had.”

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

⁵As some of the disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts, Jesus said,

⁵And some speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with goodly stones and consecrated gifts, He said,

⁶“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

⁶“These things that you are beholding, the days will come in which not a stone will be left upon a stone that will not 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?”

⁷And they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when, then, will these things be, and what is the sign when these things are about to happen?”

⁸Jesus answered, “See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.

⁸And He said, “Take heed, lest you be led astray; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Do not go after them.

⁹When you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end is not imminent.”

⁹And when you may hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for it is necessary for these things to happen first, but the end is not immediately.”

Witnessing to All Nations

¹⁰Then He told them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

¹⁰Then He was saying to them, “Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

¹¹There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

¹¹There will be also great earthquakes and famines and pestilences in various places. There will also be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

¹²But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors.

¹²But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you and will persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, leading you away before kings and governors on account of My name.

¹³This will be your opportunity to serve as witnesses.

¹³It will result to you for a testimony.

¹⁴So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves.

¹⁴Settle, therefore, in your hearts not to premeditate to make a defense.

¹⁵For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

¹⁵For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all those opposing you will neither be able to resist nor contradict.

¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.

¹⁶And you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put to death some of you.

¹⁷And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.

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

¹⁸Yet not even a hair of your head will perish.

¹⁸And no, not a hair of your head shall perish.

¹⁹By your patient endurance you will gain your souls.

¹⁹By your perseverance you will gain your souls.

The Destruction of Jerusalem

²⁰But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that her desolation is near.

²⁰But when you shall see Jerusalem being encircled by encampments, then know that her desolation has drawn near.

²¹Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city.

²¹Then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart; and those in the country, let them not enter into her.

²²For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.

²²For these are the days of avenging, to fulfill all things having been written.

²³How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.

²³Woe to those having in womb and to those nursing in those days! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people.

²⁴They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁴And they will fall by the mouth of the sword and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations are fulfilled.

The Return of the Son of Man

²⁵There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.

²⁵And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the rolling surge—

²⁶Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶men fainting from fear and expectation of the things coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.^a

²⁷And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

²⁸When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁸And these things beginning to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁹Then Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

²⁹And He spoke to them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees.

³⁰When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.

³⁰When they already may cast forth, looking for yourselves you know that already the summer is near.

³¹So also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

³¹So also you, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near.

³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.

³²Truly I say to you that this generation shall not pass away until all shall come to pass.

³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

³³The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

Be Watchful for the Day

³⁴But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

³⁴And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts ever be burdened with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of life—and that day would come upon you suddenly as a snare.

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

³⁵For it will come upon all those sitting upon the face of all the earth.

³⁶So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁶But stay awake in every season, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁷Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.

³⁷And during the day He was teaching in the temple, and in the evening, going out, He was lodging on the mount called Olivet.

³⁸And early in the morning all the people would come to hear Him at the temple.

³⁸And all the people were coming early to Him in the temple to hear Him.