True Giving

21 Jesus saw some rich people putting their gifts into the Temple money box.^{[a] 2} Then Jesus saw a poor widow. She put two small copper coins into the box. ³ He said, “I tell you the truth. This poor widow gave only two small coins. But she really gave more than all those rich people. ⁴ The rich have plenty; they gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had. And she needed that money to live on.”

The Temple Will Be Destroyed

⁵ Some of the followers were talking about the Temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts offered to God.

⁶ But Jesus said, “The time will come when all that you see here will be destroyed. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground. Not one stone will be left on another!”

⁷ Some followers asked Jesus, “Teacher, when will these things happen? What will show us that it is time for them to take place?”

⁸ Jesus said, “Be careful! Don’t be fooled. Many people will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Christ’ and, ‘The right time has come!’ But don’t follow them. ⁹ When you hear about wars and riots, don’t be afraid. These things must happen first. Then the end will come later.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nations will fight against other nations. Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and other terrible things in many places. In some places there will be no food for the people to eat. Fearful events and great signs will come from heaven.

¹² “But before all these things happen, people will arrest you and treat you cruelly. They will judge you in their synagogues and put you in jail. You will be forced to stand before kings and governors. They will do all these things to you because you follow me. ¹³ But this will give you an opportunity to tell about me. ¹⁴ Don’t worry about what you will say. ¹⁵ I will give you the wisdom to say things so that none of your enemies will be able to show that you are wrong. ¹⁶ Even your parents, brothers, relatives and friends will turn against you. They will kill some of you. ¹⁷ All people will hate you because you follow me. ¹⁸ But none of these things can really harm you. ¹⁹ You will save yourselves by continuing strong in your faith through all these things.

Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed

²⁰ “When you see armies all around Jerusalem, then you will know that it will soon be destroyed. ²¹ At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. The people in Jerusalem must get out. If you are near the city, don’t go in! ²² These are the days of punishment to make come true all that is written in the Scriptures. ²³ At that time, it will be hard for women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! Great trouble will come upon this land, and God will be angry with these people. ²⁴ Some will be killed by the sword and taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be crushed by non-Jewish people until their time is over.

Don’t Fear

²⁵ “Amazing things will happen to the sun, moon, and stars. On earth, nations will be afraid because of the roar and fury of the sea. They will not know what to do. ²⁶ People will be so afraid they will faint. They will wonder what is happening to the whole world. Everything in the sky will be changed. ²⁷ Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ When these things begin to happen, don’t fear. Look up and hold your heads high because the time when God will free you is near!”

My Words Will Live Forever

²⁹ Then Jesus told this story: “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. ³⁰ When their leaves appear, you know that summer is near. ³¹ In the same way, when you see all these things happening, then you will know that God’s kingdom is coming very soon.

³² “I tell you the truth. All these things will happen while the people of this time are still living! ³³ The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed; but the words I have said will never be destroyed!

Be Ready All the Time

³⁴ “Be careful! Don’t spend your time feasting and drinking. Or don’t be too busy with worldly things. If you do that, you will not be able to think straight. And then that day might come when you are not ready. ³⁵ It will close like a trap on all people on earth. ³⁶ So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that will happen. And pray that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁷ During the day, Jesus taught the people in the Temple. At night he went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives. ³⁸ Every morning all the people got up early to go to the Temple to listen to him.