The Widow’s Gift
1 Looking up, He saw the rich people putting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And He saw a poor widow putting in twosmall copper coins.
3 He said,“Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in[proportionally]more than allof them;
4 for they all put in gifts from their abundance; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
5 As some were talking about thetemple, that it was decorated with beautiful stones and consecrated offerings [of magnificent gifts of gold which were displayed on the walls and hung in the porticoes], He said,
6 “As for all these things which you see, the time will come when there will not be one stone left on another that will not betorn down.”
7 They asked Him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to happen?”
8 He said,“Be carefulandsee to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name[appropriating for themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me alone],saying, ‘I amHe,’and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not follow them.
9 When you hear of wars and disturbances[civil unrest, revolts, uprisings],do not panic; for these things must take place first, but the end will notcomeimmediately.”
Things to Come
10 Then Jesus told them,“Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.
11 There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and[deadly and devastating]pestilences (plagues, epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, and bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.
13 This will be a timeandan opportunity for you to testify[about Me].
14 So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;
15 for I will give you[skillful]words and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.
16 But you will be betrayedandhanded over even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will putsomeof you to death,
17 and you will becontinuallyhated by everyone because of[your association with]My name.
18 But not a hair of your head will perish.
19 By your[patient]endurance[empowered by the Holy Spirit]you will gain your souls.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by[hostile]armies, then understand[with confident assurance]that her complete destruction is near.
21 At that time, those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside the city (Jerusalem) must get out, and those who are[out]in the country must not enter the city;
22 for these are days of vengeance[of rendering full justice or satisfaction],so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.
23 Woe to those women who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For great troubleandanguish will be on the land, and wrathandretribution on this people[Israel].
24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (completed).
The Return of Christ
25 “There will be signs (attesting miracles) in the sun and moon and stars; and on the earth[there will be]distressandanguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaringandtossing of the sea and the waves,
26 people fainting from fear and expectation of the[dreadful]things coming on the world; for the[very]powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27 Then they will seetheSon ofMan coming in a cloudwith[transcendent, overwhelming]power[subduing the nations]and with great glory.
28 Now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads[in joy],because[suffering ends as]your redemption is drawing near.”
Parable of the Fig Tree
29 Then He told them a parable:“Look at the fig tree and all the trees;
30 as soon as they put out leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is near.
31 So you too, when you see these things happening, know[without any doubt]that the kingdom of God is near.
32 I assure youandmost solemnly say to you, this generation[those living at that definite period of time preceding the second coming]will not pass away untileverything takes place.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
34 “But be on guard, so that your hearts are not weighed downanddepressed with the giddiness of debauchery and the nausea of self-indulgence and the worldly worries of life, and then that day[when the Messiah returns]will not come on you suddenly like a trap;
35 for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth.
36 But keep alert at all times[be attentive and ready],praying that you may have the strengthandability[to be found worthy and]to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man[at His coming].”
37 Now in the daytime Jesus was teaching in [the porches and courts of] the temple, but at night He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet.
38 And early in the morning all the people would come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.