Luke 21
1 And having looked up, he saw those who did cast their gifts to the treasury — rich men,
[Jesus] looked up [from where he was sitting] and saw rich people putting their gifts into the [offering] boxes [in the Temple courtyard].
2 and he saw also a certain poor widow casting there two mites,
He also saw a poor widow putting in two [small] copper coins.
3 and he said, 'Truly I say to you, that this poor widow did cast in more than all;
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 all these out of their superabundance did cast into the gifts to God, but this one out of her want, all the living that she had, did cast in.'
5 And certain saying about the temple, that with goodly stones and devoted things it hath been adorned, 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 'These things that ye behold — days will come, in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown 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 And they questioned him, saying, 'Teacher, when, then, shall these things be? and what [is] the sign when these things may be about to happen?'
[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 And he said, 'See — ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying — I am [he], and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after 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 and when ye may hear of wars and uprisings, be not terrified, for it behoveth these things to happen first, but the end [is] not 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 said he to them, 'Nation shall rise 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 great shakings also in every place, and famines, and pestilences, there shall be; fearful things also, and great signs from heaven there shall be;
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 and before all these, they shall lay on you their hands, and persecute, delivering up to synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for my name's 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 and it shall become to you for a testimony.
That will be a time for you to tell [them about me].
14 'Settle, then, to your hearts, not to meditate beforehand to reply,
So determine within yourselves not to be worrying before that happens what you will say to defend yourselves,
15 for I will give to you a mouth and wisdom that all your opposers shall not be able to refute or resist.
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 'And ye shall be delivered up also by parents, and brothers, and kindred, and friends, and they shall put of you 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 and ye shall be hated by all because of my name —
[In general], most people will [HYP] hate you because [you believe in] me [MTY].
18 and a hair out of your head shall not perish;
But your souls will be absolutely safe [IDM].
19 in your patience possess ye your souls.
By enduring [all these things people will do to you], you will preserve your [eternal] life [SYN].”
20 'And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;
“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 those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart out; and those in the countries, let them not come in to her;
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 because these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all things that have been 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 'And woe to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; for there shall be great distress on the land, and wrath on 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 and they shall fall by the mouth of the sword, and shall be led captive to all the nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by nations, till the times of nations be fulfilled.
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 'And there shall be signs in sun, and moon, and stars, and on the land [is] distress of nations with perplexity, sea and billow roaring;
“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 men fainting at heart from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
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 they shall see the Son of Man, coming in a cloud, with power and much glory;
Then they will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming in a cloud powerfully and very gloriously.
28 and these things beginning to happen bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption doth draw nigh.'
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 spake a simile to them: 'See 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 when they may now cast forth, having seen, of yourselves ye know that now is the summer nigh;
As soon as you see their leaves beginning to sprout, you know that summer is near.
31 so also ye, when ye may see these things happening, ye know that near is the reign of God;
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 verily I say to you — This generation may not pass away till all may have come to pass;
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 the heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words may 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 'And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts may be weighed down with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day may come on you,
“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 as a snare it shall come on all those dwelling on the face of all the land,
[You need to know that my return will surprise] everyone all over the earth.
36 watch ye, then, in every season, praying that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are about to come to pass, and to stand before 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 And he was during the days in the temple teaching, and during the nights, going forth, he was lodging at the mount called of Olives;
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 were coming early unto him in the temple to hear him.
Early [each] morning many people came to the Temple [courtyard] to listen to him.
