Luke 21

Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple and the Signs of the End Times

4 min read

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say to you, that this poor widow has cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in to the offerings of God: but she of her penury has cast in all the living that she had. ¶
5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
6 As for these things which you behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone on another, that shall not be thrown down.
7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
8 And he said, Take heed that you be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draws near: go you not therefore after them.
9 But when you shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
10 Then said he to them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer:
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And you shall be betrayed both by parents, and brothers, and kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess you your souls.
20 And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the middle of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath on this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. ¶
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near.
29 And he spoke to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, you see and know of your own selves that summer is now near at hand.
31 So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know you that the kingdom of God is near at hand.
32 Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. ¶
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come on you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and stayed in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
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