Luke 21
1 Looking up He saw the people throwing their gifts into the Treasury--the rich people.
[Jesus] looked up [from where he was sitting] and saw rich people putting their gifts into the [offering] boxes [in the Temple courtyard].
2 He also saw a poor widow dropping in two farthings,
He also saw a poor widow putting in two [small] copper coins.
3 and He said, "In truth I tell you that this widow, so poor, has thrown in more than any of them.
He said [to his disciples], “The truth is that these rich people have a lot of money, [but] they gave [only a small part of it]. But this woman, who is very poor, has put in all the money that she had to pay for the things she needs! So [God considers that] [HYP] this poor widow has put more money into the box than all the others.”
4 For from what they could well spare they have all of them contributed to the offerings, but she in her need has thrown in all she had to live on."
5 When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said,
Some [of Jesus’ disciples] talked about the Temple. [They commented about] the beautiful stones [used in building the Temple] and the other decorations that [people] had given, decorations [that were on the walls]. But he said,
6 "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down."
“[I want to tell you something about] these things that you are looking at. [They will be destroyed] {[Foreign invaders will] destroy [these buildings]} [completely]. Every stone [in these buildings] will be thrown down {They will throw down every stone in these buildings}. Not one stone will be left {They will not leave one stone} on top of another.”
7 "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?"
[Later] his disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will that happen? What will happen [to the temple] to indicate that the things [you(sg) just told us] are about to happen?”
8 "See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them.
He said, “[All that I will say is], be sure that you are not deceived {that they do not deceive [you]} [about these things]! Many [people] will come and say (that I [sent them]/that they have my authority) [MTY]. They will say, ‘I am [the Messiah]!’ They will also [say] ‘It is now the time [when God will begin to rule]!’ Do not follow them [to become their disciples]
9 But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately."
Also, whenever you hear about wars and riots, do not be terrified. Keep in mind that [God has said that] those things must happen. But [when they happen], it will not mean that [the world] will end right away!”
10 Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Then he said to them, “[Groups in various] countries will fight each other, and [various] governments [will also fight] against each other.
11 And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven.
There will be [big] earthquakes, and in various places there will be famines and plagues. [People will see] things that will terrify them. There will also be unusual things happening in the sky.
12 "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake.
But before all these things happen, [some of] you will be persecuted and arrested {people will persecute some of you and arrest you} [MTY]. [Some of] you will be put {They will put [some of] you} [on trial] in the places where you gather to worship, and [you will be thrown] into prison. You will be put on trial {[They] will put you on trial} in front of high government authorities because you are my [MTY] [disciples].
13 In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity.
That will be a time for you to tell [them about me].
14 "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand,
So determine within yourselves not to be worrying before that happens what you will say to defend yourselves,
15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to.
because I will make you wise [HEN] so that you will [know] what to say. As a result, none of your enemies will be able to oppose what you say or (refute you/show that you are wrong).
16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death.
[And there will also be other evil things that will happen]: Even your parents and brothers and [other] relatives and friends [who do not believe in me] will (betray you/help your enemies to seize you). They will kill some of you.
17 You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name;
[In general], most people will [HYP] hate you because [you believe in] me [MTY].
18 and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish.
But your souls will be absolutely safe [IDM].
19 By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives.
By enduring [all these things people will do to you], you will preserve your [eternal] life [SYN].”
20 "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand.
“But when you see that Jerusalem has been surrounded by the armies of [your enemies], you will know that it is time for [this city] to be completely destroyed {[them] to completely destroy [this city]}.
21 Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in.
At that time those [of you] who are in Judea [district] must flee to the [higher] hills. Those who are in this city must leave [quickly]. Those who are in the nearby countryside must not go back into the city [to get any of their possessions before they flee].
22 For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written.
[You must obey what I tell you] because, in order that all the things that are written [in the Scriptures] will be fulfilled, [God] will very severely punish [the people who stay in this city].
23 "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People.
[I feel] very sorry for women [in this city] who will be pregnant, and women who will be nursing [their babies] in those days, [because it will be very difficult for them to run away! I] feel sorry [because] the people in this [land] will suffer greatly [MTY] [when God punishes them].
24 They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired.
Many of them will be killed {Their enemies will kill many of them} with swords. [Others will be captured] and taken {They will capture [others] and take them} to [HYP] [other] countries. Non-Jewish people will trample over Jerusalem until the time [that God has determined for them to rule the city] is ended.”
25 "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows;
“There will also be strange things that will [happen to] the sun, the moon, and the stars. In [many] nations, [people] will be very frightened, and they will be anxious [when they hear] the ocean roaring and [see huge] waves.
26 while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.
People will faint because they will be afraid as they wait for what will happen. [They will be afraid] because the powerful [objects] in the sky will be shaken {shake}.
27 And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory.
Then they will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming in a cloud powerfully and very gloriously.
28 But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."
So when these things that [I have just now described] begin to happen, stand up [straight and] be brave, because it will be close to the time when [God] will free you [from all suffering].”
29 And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees.
[Then] Jesus told his disciples this parable: “Think about the fig tree, and all the [other] trees.
30 As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near.
As soon as you see their leaves beginning to sprout, you know that summer is near.
31 So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near.
Similarly, when you see these things that [I have just described] happening, you will know that it is almost time for God to [truly] rule as king.
32 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
Keep this in mind: All the things that [I have just now described] will happen before all the people who have observed the things that I have done have died.
33 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
[You can be certain that these things] that I have told [you] about will happen. That they will happen is more [certain] than that the earth and sky will continue to exist.”
34 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap;
“But be on guard. Do not be getting drunk with carousing or let yourselves be distracted by worries [concerning] your lives [SYN] {or let worries [concerning] your lives [SYN] distract you}. [If you do wrong things like those, you may be suddenly surprised by my return] [MTY], like a trap [suddenly catches an animal in it].
35 for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth.
[You need to know that my return will surprise] everyone all over the earth.
36 But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
So be ready at all times. Pray that you will be able to endure without being afraid of all these [difficult] things that will happen, so that you will then stand [confidently] before me, the one who came from heaven.”
37 His habit at this time was to teach in the Temple by day, but to go out and spend the night on the Mount called the Oliveyard.
Each day [during that week Jesus] taught the people in the Temple [courtyard in Jerusalem]. But at night he [and his disciples] left [the city] and stayed on Olive [Tree] Hill.
38 And all the people came to Him in the Temple, early in the morning, to listen to Him.
Early [each] morning many people came to the Temple [courtyard] to listen to him.
