Luke 21
New Matthew Bible
Christ commends the poor widow. He tells of the destruction of Jerusalem, of false teachers, of the signs and troubles to come, of the end of the world, and of his own coming.
21 As he looked on, he saw the rich, how they cast their offerings into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow who cast in two small coins, 3 and he said, Of a truth I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all have added to the offering to God out of their surplus, but she, of her penury, has cast in all the substance that she had.
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and jewels, Jesus said, 6 The days will come when of these things that you see, there will not be left stone upon stone that shall not be thrown down. 7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when will these things be? And what sign will there be when such things are about to happen?
8 And he said, Take heed that you be not deceived. For many will come in my name, saying, I am he. And the time draws near. You must not follow them therefore. 9 But when you hear of war and dissension, do not be afraid. For these things must come first. But the end will not follow immediately.
10 Then he said to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And great earthquakes will be in all quarters, and hunger and pestilence, and fearful things. And there will be great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prison, and will bring you before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. 13 And this will happen to you for a testimony.
14 Let it therefore stick fast in your hearts not once to concern yourselves beforehand what to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom against which none of your adversaries will be able to speak or resist.
16 Yea and you will be betrayed by your fathers and mothers, and by your brethren and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 And you will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. 18 Yet not one hair of your heads shall perish. 19 With your patience possess your souls.
20 And when you see Jerusalem besieged with a host, then understand that its desolation is near. 21 Then let the people who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the city get out. And let not those who are in other countries enter in. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfil all the things that are written. 23 But woe will be to women who are with child and to those who give suck in those days, for there will be great trouble in the land, and wrath over all this people. 24 And they will fall on the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden under foot by the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled.
25 And there will be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars, and in the earth the people will be in such perplexity that they will not know which way to turn. The sea and the waters will roar, 26 and men’s hearts will fail them for fear, and for the dread of those things which shall come on the earth. For the powers of heaven shall move. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man come in a cloud, with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near.
29 And he told them a similitude: Consider the fig tree, and all other trees. 30 When they shoot forth their buds, you see and can tell for your own selves that summer is then nigh at hand. 31 So likewise, when you see these things come to pass, understand that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass.
34 Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcome with excess of eating, and drunkenness, and worldly cares, and that day come on you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come upon all who sit on the face of the earth. 36 Watch therefore continually, and pray that you may obtain grace to escape all this that is to come, and that you may stand before the Son of man.
37 In the daytime he taught in the temple, and at night he went out and stayed on the Mount of Olives. 38 And all the people came to him in the morning in the temple, to hear him.
Luke 21
English Standard Version
The Widow's Offering
21 (A)Jesus[a] looked up and saw the rich (B)putting their gifts into (C)the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two (D)small copper coins.[b] 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, (E)this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her (F)poverty put in all (G)she had to live on.”
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
5 (H)And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, (I)the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, (J)when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, (K)“See that you are not led astray. For (L)many will come in my name, saying, (M)‘I am he!’ and, (N)‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be (O)terrified, for these things (P)must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution
10 Then he said to them, (Q)“Nation will rise against nation, and (R)kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great (S)earthquakes, and in various places (T)famines and pestilences. And there will be (U)terrors and great (V)signs from heaven. 12 But before all this (W)they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to (X)the synagogues and (Y)prisons, and you (Z)will be brought before (AA)kings and (AB)governors for my name's sake. 13 (AC)This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds (AD)not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for (AE)I will give you a mouth and (AF)wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or (AG)contradict. 16 You will be delivered up (AH)even by parents and brothers[c] and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 (AI)You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But (AJ)not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your (AK)endurance you will gain your lives.
Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem
20 “But (AL)when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that (AM)its desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are (AN)days of (AO)vengeance, to fulfill (AP)all that is written. 23 (AQ)Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and (AR)wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and (AS)be led captive among all nations, and (AT)Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, (AU)until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The Coming of the Son of Man
25 “And (AV)there will be signs in sun and moon (AW)and stars, and on the earth (AX)distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For (AY)the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see (AZ)the Son of Man coming in a cloud (BA)with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and (BB)raise your heads, because (BC)your redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see (BD)for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 (BE)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 (BF)Heaven and earth will pass away, but (BG)my words will not pass away.
Watch Yourselves
34 “But watch yourselves (BH)lest (BI)your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and (BJ)cares of this life, and (BK)that day come upon you suddenly (BL)like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But (BM)stay awake at all times, (BN)praying that you may (BO)have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and (BP)to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 And (BQ)every day he was teaching in the temple, but (BR)at night he went out and lodged on (BS)the mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning (BT)all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
Footnotes
- Luke 21:1 Greek He
- Luke 21:2 Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
- Luke 21:16 Or parents and brothers and sisters
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
