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

2 A nd He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins.

3 A nd He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them;

4 f or they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.”

5 A nd while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said,

6 “ As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”

7 T hey questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

8 A nd He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘ I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.

9 W hen you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.” Things to Come

10 T hen He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,

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

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

13 I t will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.

14 S o make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;

15 f or I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.

16 B ut you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,

17 a nd you will be hated by all because of My name.

18 Y et not a hair of your head will perish.

19 B y your endurance you will gain your lives.

20 “ But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.

21 T hen those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city;

22 b ecause these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.

23 W oe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people;

24 a nd they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. The Return of Christ

25 “ There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

26 m en fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

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

28 B ut when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 T hen He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees;

30 a s soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

31 S o you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.

32 T ruly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.

33 H eaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

34 “ Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;

35 f or it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

36 B ut keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 N ow during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet.

38 A nd all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.