The Gospel According to St. Luke

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 21 -

(Mark 12:41–44)

And having looked up, He saw those who cast their gifts into the treasury—rich men,

and He also saw a certain poor widow casting two mites there,

and He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow cast in more than all;

for all these out of their superabundance cast into the gifts to God, but this one out of her want, all the living that she had, cast in.”

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

(Matthew 24:1–8; Mark 13:1–8)

And [as] some were speaking about the temple, that it has been adorned with good stones and devoted things, He said,

“These things that you behold—days will come in which there will not be left a stone on a stone that will not be thrown down.”

And they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when, then, will these things be? And what [is] the sign when these things may be about to happen?”

And He said, “See—you may not be led astray, for many will come in My Name, saying, I am [He], and the time has come near; do not then go on after them;

and when you may hear of wars and uprisings, do not be terrified, for it is necessary for these things to happen first, but the end [is] not immediately.”

Witnessing to All Nations

(Matthew 24:9–14; Mark 13:9–13)

Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,

also great shakings, and there will be famines and pestilences in every place; also there will be fearful things and great signs from the sky;

and before all these, they will lay on you their hands, and persecute, delivering up to synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for My Name’s sake;

and it will become to you for a testimony.

Settle, then, to your hearts, not to meditate beforehand to reply,

for I will give to you a mouth and wisdom that all your opposers will not be able to refute or resist.

And you will be delivered up also by parents, and brothers, and relatives, and friends, and they will put [some] of you to death;

and you will be hated by all because of My Name—

and a hair out of your head will not perish;

in your patience possess your souls.

The Destruction of Jerusalem

(Matthew 24:15–25; Mark 13:14–23)

And when you may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that her desolation has come near;

then those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart out; and those in the countries, do not let them come in to her;

because these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all things that have been written.

And woe to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; for there will be great distress on the land, and wrath on this people;

and they will fall by the mouth of the sword, and will be led captive to all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by nations, until the times of nations be fulfilled.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Matthew 24:26–31; Mark 13:24–27)

And there will be signs in sun, and moon, and stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, sea and wave roaring;

men fainting at heart from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and much glory;

and these things beginning to happen, bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Matthew 24:32–35; Mark 13:28–31)

And He spoke an allegory to them: “See the fig tree, and all the trees,

when they may now cast forth, having seen, of yourselves you know that now the summer is near;

so also you, when you may see these things happening, you know that the Kingdom of God is near;

truly I say to you, this generation may not pass away until all may have come to pass;

the sky and the earth will pass away, but My words may not pass away.

Be Watchful for the Day

And take heed to yourselves lest your hearts may be weighed down with carousing, and drunkenness, and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day may come on you,

for it will come as a snare on all those dwelling on the face of all the earth,

watch, then, in every season, praying that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

And He was teaching in the temple during the days, and during the nights, going forth, He was lodging at [that] called the Mount of Olives;

and all the people were coming early to Him in the temple to hear Him.

(Mark 12:41–44)

He looked up and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury.

He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins.(a)

He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,

for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

(Matthew 24:1–8; Mark 13:1–8)

As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,

“As for these things which you see, the days will come in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”

They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”

He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he (b) ,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.

When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”

Witnessing to All Nations

(Matthew 24:9–14; Mark 13:9–13)

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

It will turn out as a testimony for you.

Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death.

You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake.

And not a hair of your head will perish.

“By your endurance you will win your lives.

The Destruction of Jerusalem

(Matthew 24:15–25; Mark 13:14–23)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath to this people.

They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Matthew 24:26–31; Mark 13:24–27)

“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;

men fainting for fear and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Matthew 24:32–35; Mark 13:28–31)

He told them a parable. “See the fig tree and all the trees.

When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.

Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near.

Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

Be Watchful for the Day

“So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.

For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.

Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.

All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.

Footnotes

(a)21:2 literally, “two lepta.” 2 lepta was about 1% of a day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

(b)21:8 or, I AM