Luke 21 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

A Widow’s Contribution(A)

21 Looking up, Jesus saw people, especially the rich, dropping their gifts into the temple offering box. 2 He noticed a poor widow drop in two small coins. 3 He said, “I can guarantee this truth: This poor widow has given more than all the others. 4 All of these people have given what they could spare. But she, in her poverty, has given everything she had to live on.”

Jesus Teaches His Disciples(B)

5 Some ⌞of the disciples⌟ were talking about the temple complex. They noted that it was built with fine stones and decorated with beautiful gifts. So Jesus said, 6 “About these buildings that you see—the time will come when not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”

7 The disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will occur?”

8 Jesus said, “Be careful that you are not deceived. Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near.’ Don’t follow them!

9 “When you hear of wars and revolutions, don’t be terrified! These things must happen first, but the end will not come immediately.”

10 Then Jesus continued, “Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in various places. Terrifying sights and miraculous signs will come from the sky.

12 “Before all these things happen, people will arrest and persecute you. They will hand you over to their synagogues and put you into their prisons. They will drag you in front of kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will be your opportunity to testify to them. 14 So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 I will give you words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to oppose or prove wrong.

16 “Even parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and kill some of you. 17 Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. 18 But not a hair on your head will be lost. 19 By your endurance you will save your life.

20 “When you see armies camped around Jerusalem, realize that the time is near for it to be destroyed. 21 Then those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. Those of you in Jerusalem should leave it. Those of you in the fields shouldn’t go back into them. 22 This will be a time of vengeance. Everything that is written about it will come true.

23 “How horrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. Indeed, the land will suffer very hard times, and its people will be punished. 24 Swords will cut them down, and they will be carried off into all nations as prisoners. Nations will trample Jerusalem until the times allowed for the nations ⌞to do this⌟ are over.

25 “Miraculous signs will occur in the sun, moon, and stars. The nations of the earth will be deeply troubled and confused because of the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint as they fearfully wait for what will happen to the world. Indeed, the powers of the universe will be shaken.

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

28 “When these things begin to happen, stand with confidence! The time when you will be set free is near.”

29 Then Jesus used this story as an illustration. “Look at the fig tree or any other tree. 30 As soon as leaves grow on them, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that God’s kingdom is near.

32 “I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all this takes place. 33 The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

No One Knows When the Earth and the Heavens Will Disappear

34 “Make sure that you don’t become drunk, hung over, and worried about life. Then that day could suddenly catch you by surprise 35 like a trap that catches a bird. That day will surprise all people who live on the earth. 36 Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man.”

37 During the day Jesus would teach in the temple courtyard. But at night he would go to the Mount of Olives (as it was called) and spend the night there. 38 All of the people would get up early to hear him speak in the temple courtyard.

Cross references

  1. Luke 21:1 : Mark 12:41–44
  2. Luke 21:5 : Matthew 24:1–35; Mark 13:1–31

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Luke 21 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

21 Jesus looked around in the temple. He saw the place where the people put in their money. Rich people were putting in their money. 2 And he saw a poor woman whose husband was dead. She put in two small pieces of money. 3 Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This poor woman has given more than all th...
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Luke 21 - World English Bible (WEB)

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Luke 21 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Luke 21 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Widow’s Offering21 He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, 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 ...
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Luke 21 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Widow’s Offering21 He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly I tell you, 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 ...
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Luke 21 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

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Luke 21 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

21 He looked up and saw rich people putting their contributions into the Temple treasury. 2 He also saw an impoverished widow putting in two tiny copper coins. 3 ‘I’m telling you the truth,’ he said. ‘This poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 They all contributed into the collection out ...
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Luke 21 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Widow’s Offering21 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but s...
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Luke 21 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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