1 A nd having looked up, he saw those who did cast their gifts to the treasury -- rich men,

Jesus looked up and saw rich men putting their money into the money box in the house of God.

2 a nd he saw also a certain poor widow casting there two mites,

He saw a poor woman whose husband had died. She put in two very small pieces of money.

3 a nd he said, `Truly I say to you, that this poor widow did cast in more than all;

He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor woman has put in more than all of them.

4 f or all these out of their superabundance did cast into the gifts to God, but this one out of her want, all the living that she had, did cast in.'

For they have put in a little of the money they had no need for. She is very poor and has put in all she had. She has put in what she needed for her own living.” Jesus Tells of the House of God

5 A nd certain saying about the temple, that with goodly stones and devoted things it hath been adorned, he said,

Some people were talking about the house of God. They were saying that the stones were beautiful and that many gifts had been given. Jesus said,

6 ` These things that ye behold -- days will come, in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.'

“As for these things you see, all these stones will be thrown down. Not one will be left on another.”

7 A nd they questioned him, saying, `Teacher, when, then, shall these things be? and what the sign when these things may be about to happen?'

They asked Jesus, “Teacher, when will this take place? What are we to look for to show us these things are about to happen?”

8 A nd he said, `See -- ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am, and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after them;

He said, “Be careful that no one leads you the wrong way. For many people will come in My name. They will say, ‘I am the Christ.’ The time is near. Do not follow them.

9 a nd when ye may hear of wars and uprisings, be not terrified, for it behoveth these things to happen first, but the end not immediately.'

When you hear of wars and fighting in different places, do not be afraid. These things have to happen first, but the end is not yet.”

10 T hen said he to them, `Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,

Then Jesus said to them, “Nations will have wars with other nations. Countries will fight against countries.

11 g reat shakings also in every place, and famines, and pestilences, there shall be; fearful things also, and great signs from heaven there shall be;

The earth will shake and break apart in different places. There will be no food. There will be bad diseases among many people. Very special things will be seen in the sky that will make people much afraid.

12 a nd before all these, they shall lay on you their hands, and persecute, delivering up to synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and governors for my name's sake;

“But before all this happens, men will take hold of you and make it very hard for you. They will give you over to the places of worship and to the prisons. They will bring you in front of kings and the leaders of the people. This will all be done to you because of Me.

13 a nd it shall become to you for a testimony.

This will be a time for you to tell about Me.

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

Do not think about what you will say ahead of time.

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

For I will give you wisdom in what to say and I will help you say it. Those who are against you will not be able to stop you or say you are wrong.

16 ` And ye shall be delivered up also by parents, and brothers, and kindred, and friends, and they shall put of you to death;

“You will be handed over by your parents and your brothers and your family and your friends. They will kill some of you.

17 a nd ye shall be hated by all because of my name --

All men will hate you because of Me.

18 a nd a hair out of your head shall not perish;

Yet not one hair of your head will be lost.

19 i n your patience possess ye your souls.

But stay true and your souls will have life. Days of Trouble and Pain and Sorrow

20 ` And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;

“When you see armies all around Jerusalem, know that it will soon be destroyed.

21 t hen those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those in her midst, let them depart out; and those in the countries, let them not come in to her;

Those in the country of Judea must run to the mountains. Those in the city must leave at once. Those in the country must not go into the city.

22 b ecause these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all things that have been written.

People will be punished in these hard days. All things will happen as it is written.

23 ` And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck, in those days; for there shall be great distress on the land, and wrath on this people;

“It will be hard for women who will soon be mothers. It will be hard for those feeding babies in those days. It will be very hard for the people in the land and anger will be brought down on them.

24 a nd they shall fall by the mouth of the sword, and shall be led captive to all the nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by nations, till the times of nations be fulfilled.

People will be killed by the sword. They will be held in prison by all nations. Jerusalem will be walked over by the people who are not Jews until their time is finished. Jesus Will Come Again in His Shining-Greatness

25 ` And there shall be signs in sun, and moon, and stars, and on the land distress of nations with perplexity, sea and billow roaring;

“There will be special things to look for in the sun and moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be troubled and will not know what to do. They will be troubled at the angry sea and waves.

26 m en fainting at heart from fear, and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

The hearts of men will give up because of being afraid of what is coming on the earth. The powers of the heavens will be shaken.

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

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power and much greatness.

28 a nd these things beginning to happen bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption doth draw nigh.'

When these things begin to happen, lift up your heads because you have been bought by the blood of Christ and will soon be free.” The Picture-Story of the Fig Tree

29 A nd he spake a simile to them: `See the fig-tree, and all the trees,

Jesus told them a picture-story. He said, “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

30 w hen they may now cast forth, having seen, of yourselves ye know that now is the summer nigh;

When you see their leaves coming out, you know summer is near.

31 s o also ye, when ye may see these things happening, ye know that near is the reign of God;

In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know the holy nation of God is near.

32 v erily I say to you -- This generation may not pass away till all may have come to pass;

For sure, I tell you, that the people of this day will not die before all these things happen.

33 t he heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words may not pass away.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away.

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

Watch yourselves! Do not let yourselves be loaded down with too much eating and strong drink. Do not be troubled with the cares of this life. If you do, that day will come on you without you knowing it.

35 f or as a snare it shall come on all those dwelling on the face of all the land,

It will come on all people over all the earth.

36 w atch ye, then, in every season, praying that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.'

Be sure you watch. Pray all the time so that you may be able to keep from going through all these things that will happen and be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 A nd he was during the days in the temple teaching, and during the nights, going forth, he was lodging at the mount called of Olives;

Everyday Jesus taught in the house of God. At night He went to the Mount of Olives and stayed there.

38 a nd all the people were coming early unto him in the temple to hear him.

Early in the morning all the people came to the house of God to hear Him.