Luke 21
Worldwide English (New Testament)
21 Jesus looked around in the temple. He saw the place where the people put in their money. Rich people were putting in their money.
2 And he saw a poor woman whose husband was dead. She put in two small pieces of money.
3 Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This poor woman has given more than all the other people.
4 All these people had plenty of money and they gave only a part of it. She was poor and she gave everything she had. She has nothing left to live on.'
5 Some people were talking about how nice the temple looked. They talked about the fine stones and the things people gave to make the temple.
6 Jesus said, `You see these things. Not one stone here will be left on top of another. They will all be thrown down!'
7 They asked him, `Teacher, when will this happen? What will be the sign when these things are going to be done?
8 He said, `Take care. Do not let anyone fool you. Many men will come in my name. They will say, "I am Christ." And they will say, "The time is now." Do not go after them.
9 When you hear about wars and fighting, do not fear. These things must happen first, but it is not the end right away.'
10 Then he said, `One tribe will fight against another tribe. And one country will fight against another country.
11 In some places the earth will shake very much. In many places the people will have no food to eat. And many people will be sick. There will be things to make people fear. There will be big signs in the sky.
12 `But before all these things happen, people will catch you and trouble you. They will take you to the meeting houses to be judged. They will put you in prison. They will take you to kings and rulers because you are true to me.
13 This will be a chance for you to talk about me.
14 So do not trouble your minds about what you will say.
15 I will give you words and sense. All those who are against you will not be able to answer your words or say they are not true.
16 Even your parents, brothers, family people, and friends will give you over to trouble. They will kill some of you.
17 All people will hate you because you are true to me.
18 But you will not lose one hair from your heads.
19 If you keep on being true to me, you will live for ever.'
20 `When you see soldiers all around Jerusalem, then you will know that it will soon be broken down.
21 Then the people in Judea must go quickly to the hills. Those who are in the city must leave it. Those who are in the country must not come into the city.
22 Those will be days of punishment. All that has been written in the holy writings must happen.
23 In those days it will be very hard for women who are to have a child. It will be very hard for mothers who have babies. There will be big trouble on the earth. God will show his anger to these people.
24 They will be killed by swords or long knives. They will be taken away as prisoners to every country. Jerusalem will be broken down by people who are not Jews. They will walk over it until the end of their allowed time.'
25 `There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And there will be much trouble for the people on earth. They will not know what to do. It will be like the sound of big waves of the sea.
26 Men will be weak with fear. They will be afraid of the things that will be happening to the world. The powers in the sky will be shaken.
27 Then people will see the sign of the Son of Man in a cloud. He will have much power and will be very great.
28 When these things begin to happen, look up. Lift up your heads. You will soon be free.'
29 Jesus told them a story. He said, `Look at a fig tree. Look at all the trees.
30 As soon as you see the leaves coming, you know that it will soon be the warm time of the year.
31 It is the same way when you see all these things happening. You will know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 I tell you the truth. People who are living then will not die before all these things happen.
33 The sky and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.'
34 `But take care. Do not think too much about eating, drinking, and things in this life. If you do, that day will come and catch you like a trap.
35 That day will come to all people who are living on the whole earth.
36 Watch all the time. Ask God to make you strong to do right so that you will not go through all these things that are going to happen. Ask him to make you able to stand in front of the Son of Man.'
37 Jesus taught in the temple every day. But at night he went out and stayed on the hill called the Mount of Olives.
38 Early in the morning all the people came to hear him in the temple.
Luke 21
Living Bible
21 As he stood in the Temple, he was watching the rich tossing their gifts into the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small copper coins.
3 “Really,” he remarked, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them combined. 4 For they have given a little of what they didn’t need, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
5 Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls.
6 But Jesus said, “The time is coming when all these things you are admiring will be knocked down, and not one stone will be left on top of another; all will become one vast heap of rubble.”
7 “Master!” they exclaimed. “When? And will there be any warning ahead of time?”
8 He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come announcing themselves as the Messiah,[a] and saying, ‘The time has come.’ But don’t believe them! 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections beginning, don’t panic. True, wars must come, but the end won’t follow immediately— 10 for nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and famines in many lands, and epidemics, and terrifying things happening in the heavens.
12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of special persecution, and you will be dragged into synagogues and prisons and before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 But as a result, the Messiah will be widely known and honored.[b] 14 Therefore, don’t be concerned about how to answer the charges against you, 15 for I will give you the right words and such logic that none of your opponents will be able to reply! 16 Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and have you arrested; and some of you will be killed. 17 And everyone will hate you because you are mine and are called by my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish! 19 For if you stand firm, you will win your souls.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then let the people of Judea flee to the hills. Let those in Jerusalem try to escape, and those outside the city must not attempt to return. 22 For those will be days of God’s judgment,[c] and the words of the ancient Scriptures written by the prophets will be abundantly fulfilled. 23 Woe to expectant mothers in those days, and those with tiny babies. For there will be great distress upon this nation[d] and wrath upon this people. 24 They will be brutally killed by enemy weapons, or sent away as exiles and captives to all the nations of the world; and Jerusalem shall be conquered and trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of Gentile triumph ends in God’s good time.
25 “Then there will be strange events in the skies—warnings, evil omens and portents in the sun, moon and stars; and down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, for the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. 27 Then the peoples of the earth shall see me, the Messiah,[e] coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up! For your salvation is near.”
29 Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30 When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see the events taking place that I’ve described you can be just as sure that the Kingdom of God is near.
32 “I solemnly declare to you that when these things happen, the end of this age[f] has come. 33 And though all heaven and earth shall pass away, yet my words remain forever true.
34-35 “Watch out! Don’t let my sudden coming catch you unawares; don’t let me find you living in careless ease, carousing and drinking, and occupied with the problems of this life, like all the rest of the world. 36 Keep a constant watch. And pray that if possible you may arrive in my presence without having to experience these horrors.”[g]
37-38 Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and the crowds began gathering early in the morning to hear him. And each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
Footnotes
- Luke 21:8 will come announcing themselves as the Messiah, literally, “will come in my name.”
- Luke 21:13 the Messiah will be widely known and honored, literally, “it shall turn out unto you for a testimony.”
- Luke 21:22 days of God’s judgment, literally, “days of vengeance.”
- Luke 21:23 upon this nation, literally, “upon the land,” or “upon the earth.”
- Luke 21:27 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
- Luke 21:32 this age, literally, “this generation.”
- Luke 21:36 pray . . . you may arrive in my presence without having to experience these horrors, or “pray for strength to pass safely through these coming horrors.”
Luke 21
New King James Version
The Widow’s Two Mites(A)
21 And He looked up (B)and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain (C)poor widow putting in two (D)mites.[a] 3 So He said, “Truly I say to you (E)that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings [b]for God, but she out of her poverty put in (F)all the livelihood that she had.”
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(G)
5 (H)Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was [c]adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which (I)not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age(J)
7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
8 And He said: (K)“Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ [d]Therefore do not [e]go after them. 9 But when you hear of (L)wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
10 (M)Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great (N)earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 (O)But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and (P)prisons. (Q)You will be brought before kings and rulers (R)for My name’s sake. 13 But (S)it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 (T)Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will [f]answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom (U)which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or [g]resist. 16 (V)You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put (W)some of you to death. 17 And (X)you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18 (Y)But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.
The Destruction of Jerusalem(Z)
20 (AA)“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that (AB)all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 (AC)But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles (AD)until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The Coming of the Son of Man(AE)
25 (AF)“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, (AG)for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man (AH)coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because (AI)your redemption draws near.”
The Parable of the Fig Tree(AJ)
29 (AK)Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 (AL)Heaven and earth will pass away, but My (AM)words will by no means pass away.
The Importance of Watching(AN)
34 “But (AO)take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with [h]carousing, drunkenness, and (AP)cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For (AQ)it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 (AR)Watch therefore, and (AS)pray always that you may [i]be counted (AT)worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and (AU)to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 (AV)And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but (AW)at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
Footnotes
- Luke 21:2 Gr. lepta, very small copper coins
- Luke 21:4 NU omits for God
- Luke 21:5 decorated
- Luke 21:8 NU omits Therefore
- Luke 21:8 follow
- Luke 21:14 say in defense
- Luke 21:15 withstand
- Luke 21:34 dissipation
- Luke 21:36 NU have strength to
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The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
