Luke 21:20-38

New International Version

²⁰“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,^(A) you will know that its desolation is 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 not enter the city.^(B) ²²For this is the time of punishment^(C) in fulfillment^(D) of all that has been written. ²³How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled^(E) on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.^(F) ²⁶People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.^(G) ²⁷At that time they will see the Son of Man^(H) coming in a cloud^(I) with power and great glory. ²⁸When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”^(J)

²⁹He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God^(K) is near.

³²“Truly I tell you, this generation^(L) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(M)

³⁴“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life,^(N) and that day will close on you suddenly^(O) like a trap. ³⁵For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be always on the watch, and pray^(P) that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

³⁷Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple,^(Q) and each evening he went out^(R) to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,^(S) ³⁸and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.^(T)

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Psalm 116-118

New International Version

Psalm 116

¹I love the Lord,^(A) for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry^(B) for mercy.^(C)
²Because he turned his ear^(D) to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

³The cords of death^(E) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
⁴Then I called on the name^(F) of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!^(G)”

⁵The Lord is gracious and righteous;^(H)
our God is full of compassion.^(I)
⁶The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low,^(J) he saved me.^(K)

⁷Return to your rest,^(L) my soul,
for the Lord has been good^(M) to you.

⁸For you, Lord, have delivered me^(N) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
⁹that I may walk before the Lord^(O)
    in the land of the living.^(P)

¹⁰I trusted^(Q) in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;^(R)
¹¹in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”^(S)

¹²What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness^(T) to me?

¹³I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name^(U) of the Lord.
¹⁴I will fulfill my vows^(V) to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵Precious in the sight^(W) of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.^(X)
¹⁶Truly I am your servant, Lord;^(Y)
    I serve you just as my mother did;^(Z)
    you have freed me from my chains.^(AA)

¹⁷I will sacrifice a thank offering^(AB) to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
¹⁸I will fulfill my vows^(AC) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
¹⁹in the courts^(AD) of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.^(AE)

Praise the Lord.^[a]

Psalm 117

¹Praise the Lord,^(AF) all you nations;^(AG)
extol him, all you peoples.
²For great is his love^(AH) toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord^(AI) endures forever.

Praise the Lord.^[b]

Psalm 118

¹Give thanks to the Lord,^(AJ) for he is good;^(AK)
his love endures forever.^(AL)

²Let Israel say:^(AM)
    “His love endures forever.”^(AN)
³Let the house of Aaron say:^(AO)
    “His love endures forever.”
⁴Let those who fear the Lord^(AP) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

⁵When hard pressed,^(AQ) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.^(AR)
⁶The Lord is with me;^(AS) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?^(AT)
⁷The Lord is with me; he is my helper.^(AU)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.^(AV)

⁸It is better to take refuge in the Lord^(AW)
    than to trust in humans.^(AX)
⁹It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.^(AY)
¹⁰All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(AZ)
¹¹They surrounded me^(BA) on every side,^(BB)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
¹²They swarmed around me like bees,^(BC)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;^(BD)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.^(BE)
¹³I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.^(BF)
¹⁴The Lord is my strength^(BG) and my defense^[c];
    he has become my salvation.^(BH)

¹⁵Shouts of joy^(BI) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand^(BJ) has done mighty things!^(BK)
¹⁶    The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷I will not die^(BL) but live,
    and will proclaim^(BM) what the Lord has done.
¹⁸The Lord has chastened^(BN) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.^(BO)
¹⁹Open for me the gates^(BP) of the righteous;
    I will enter^(BQ) and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰This is the gate of the Lord^(BR)
    through which the righteous may enter.^(BS)
²¹I will give you thanks, for you answered me;^(BT)
    you have become my salvation.^(BU)

²²The stone^(BV) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;^(BW)
²³the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous^(BX) in our eyes.
²⁴The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.^(BY)

²⁵Lord, save us!^(BZ)
Lord, grant us success!

²⁶Blessed is he who comes^(CA) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.^[d]^(CB)
²⁷The Lord is God,^(CC)
    and he has made his light shine^(CD) on us.
With boughs in hand,^(CE) join in the festal procession
    up^[e] to the horns of the altar.^(CF)