Chapter 21
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Scripture
KJV1And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
5And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
6As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
7And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
8And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
9But when ye 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.
10Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
12But 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.
13And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
18But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19In your patience possess ye your souls.
20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23But woe unto 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 upon this people.
24And 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.
25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26Men’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.
27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34And 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 upon you unawares.
35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
37And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
38And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”
Overview
Jesus observes a poor widow casting two mites into the temple treasury and declares she has given more than all the wealthy donors. He then delivers His Olivet Discourse, prophesying the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, warning of wars, earthquakes, persecutions, and signs in the heavens. He foretells that Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until their times are fulfilled. He describes the coming of the Son of man in a cloud with power and great glory and tells the parable of the fig tree, urging His followers to watch and pray.
Key Themes
Sacrificial Giving
The widow's two mites reveal that God measures giving not by the amount but by the sacrifice behind it — she gave all her living, making her gift the greatest of all.
Prophetic Warning
Jesus prophesies the coming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and warns His disciples not to be deceived by false messiahs or overwhelmed by tribulation, for these events must happen.
Watchfulness and Hope
Though the signs of the end are terrifying, Jesus commands His followers to look up with hope, for their redemption draws near when these things begin to come to pass.
Study Questions
Jesus says the widow gave 'more than they all.' How does God's measure of generosity differ from the world's, and how does this challenge your own giving?
Jesus warns, 'Take heed that ye be not deceived.' What are the specific deceptions He warns about, and how can we guard against them today?
How should Christians respond to wars, disasters, and persecution in light of Jesus's teaching that 'these things must first come to pass'?
Jesus says, 'Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.' What does this claim about the permanence of His words mean for how you regard Scripture?
What does it mean practically to 'watch and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things'?
Connection to Christ
Jesus is the prophet greater than all the prophets, who sees the future with perfect clarity and speaks with absolute authority. He prophesies the destruction of the temple because He Himself is the true temple, and when the Son of man comes in a cloud with power and great glory, He will bring the redemption His people have long awaited. His words outlast heaven and earth.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Luke 21. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?