Luke, 21

1. Looking up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury;

1. He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;

2. and he noticed a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins,

2. and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins.

3. and he said, 'I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them;

3. And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;

4. for these have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in all she had to live on.'

4. for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."

5. When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, he said,

5. And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said,

6. 'All these things you are staring at now -- the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed.'

6. "As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

7. And they put to him this question, 'Master,' they said, 'when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?'

7. And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"

8. But he said, 'Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, "I am the one" and "The time is near at hand." Refuse to join them.

8. And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.

9. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once.'

9. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."

10. Then he said to them, 'Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

10. Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

11. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven.

11. there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

12. 'But before all this happens, you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name

12. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

13. -and that will be your opportunity to bear witness.

13. This will be a time for you to bear testimony.

14. Make up your minds not to prepare your defence,

14. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer;

15. because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.

15. for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

16. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death.

16. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death;

17. You will be hated universally on account of my name,

17. you will be hated by all for my name's sake.

18. but not a hair of your head will be lost.

18. But not a hair of your head will perish.

19. Your perseverance will win you your lives.

19. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

20. 'When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you must realise that it will soon be laid desolate.

20. "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

21. Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it.

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 this is the time of retribution when all that scripture says must be fulfilled.

22. for these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written.

23. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!

23. Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people;

24. 'For great misery will descend on the land and retribution on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every gentile country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the gentiles until their time is complete.

24. they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25. 'There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves;

25. "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

26. men fainting away with terror and fear at what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

26. men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

27. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.'

28. Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

29. And he told them a parable, 'Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree.

29. And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees;

30. As soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near.

30. as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.

31. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near.

31. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32. In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place.

32. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.

33. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

33. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

34. 'Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened by debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will come upon you unexpectedly,

34. "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;

35. like a trap. For it will come down on all those living on the face of the earth.

35. for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.

36. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to hold your ground before the Son of man.'

36. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."

37. All day long he would be in the Temple teaching, but would spend the night in the open on the hill called the Mount of Olives.

37. And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.

38. And from early morning the people thronged to him in the Temple to listen to him.

38. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.