Luke 21 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Looking around, Jesus watched rich people putting their gifts into the collection box.
1 Ἀναβλέψας δὲ εἶδε τοὺς βάλλοντας τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον πλουσίους·
2 He also saw a very poor widow put in two small coins.
2 εἶδε δέ τινα χήραν πενιχρὰν βάλλουσαν ἐκεῖ δύο λεπτά,
3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the rest together.
3 καὶ εἶπεν· ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἡ χήρα ἡ πτωχὴ αὕτη πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν·
4 All of them gave from their wealth what they had, but she gave from her poverty all she had to live on.”
4 ἅπαντες γὰρ οὗτοι ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύοντος αὐτοῖς ἔβαλον εἰς τὰ δῶρα τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ὑστερήματος αὐτῆς ἅπαντα τὸν βίον ὃν εἶχεν ἔβαλε.
5 Some of those there were talking about the Temple, its fine stonework and the beautiful gifts that had been donated. But Jesus said,
5 Καί τινων λεγόντων περὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ὅτι λίθοις καλοῖς καὶ ἀναθήμασι κεκόσμηται, εἶπε·
6 “Regarding these things you're looking at… The time is coming when not one stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed!”
6 ταῦτα ἃ θεωρεῖτε, ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται λίθος ἐπὶ λίθῳ ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται.
7 “Teacher, when will this happen?” they asked him. “What will be the sign that these things are about to happen?”
7 ἐπηρώτησαν δὲ αὐτὸν λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, πότε οὖν ταῦτα ἔσται, καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον ὅταν μέλλῃ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι;
8 “Make sure you're not deceived,” Jesus warned them. “Many people will come claiming to be me, saying, ‘Here I am!’ and, ‘The time has come!’ but don't follow them.
8 ὁ δὲ εἶπε· βλέπετε μὴ πλανηθῆτε· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγικε. μὴ οὖν πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν.
9 When you hear of wars and revolutions, don't be frightened, because these things have to happen first, but the end won't come immediately.
9 ὅταν δὲ ἀκούσητε πολέμους καὶ ἀκαταστασίας, μὴ πτοηθῆτε· δεῖ γὰρ ταῦτα γενέσθαι πρῶτον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εὐθέως τὸ τέλος.
10 Nation will fight nation, and kingdom will fight kingdom,” he told them.
10 τότε ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἐγερθήσεται ἔθνος ἐπὶ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλεία ἐπὶ βασιλείαν,
11 “There will be severe earthquakes, famines, and epidemic diseases in many lands, and extraordinary signs in the sky that are terrifying.
11 σεισμοί τε μεγάλοι κατὰ τόπους καὶ λιμοὶ καὶ λοιμοὶ ἔσονται, φόβητρά τε καὶ σημεῖα ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ μεγάλα ἔσται.
12 But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will drag you before synagogues and throw you into prison, and put you on trial before kings and governors on account of me.
12 πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ διώξουσι, παραδιδόντες εἰς συναγωγὰς καὶ φυλακάς, ἀγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός μου·
13 But this will provide you an opportunity to speak on my behalf before them.
13 ἀποβήσεται δὲ ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον.
14 So make up your mind beforehand not to worry about how to defend yourselves,
14 θέσθε οὖν εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν μὴ προμελετᾶν ἀπολογηθῆναι·
15 for I will give you words of wisdom that your enemies won't be able to dispute or contradict.
15 ἐγὼ γὰρ δώσω ὑμῖν στόμα καὶ σοφίαν, ᾗ οὐ δυνήσονται ἀντειπεῖν οὐδὲ ἀντιστῆναι πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ὑμῖν.
16 You will be betrayed even by your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will kill some of you.
16 παραδοθήσεσθε δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ γονέων καὶ συγγενῶν καὶ φίλων καὶ ἀδελφῶν, καὶ θανατώσουσιν ἐξ ὑμῶν,
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
17 καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου·
18 But not a single hair of your head will be lost.
18 καὶ θρὶξ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ ἀπόληται·
19 By standing firm you will gain your lives.
19 ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσασθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.
20 However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its destruction is near.
20 ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, τότε γνῶτε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς.
21 Those who are in Judea should run away to the mountains, and those who are in Jerusalem should leave, and those who are the countryside shouldn't enter the city.
21 τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη, καὶ οἱ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐκχωρείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἐν ταῖς χώραις μὴ εἰσερχέσθωσαν εἰς αὐτήν,
22 For these are days of punishment, fulfilling all that's written.
22 ὅτι ἡμέραι ἐκδικήσεως αὗταί εἰσι τοῦ πληρωθῆναι πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα.
23 How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing babies at that time! For terrible trouble is coming on the land and punishment against this people.
23 οὐαὶ δὲ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις· ἔσται γὰρ τότε ἀνάγκη μεγάλη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ὀργὴ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ,
24 They will be killed by the sword and taken away as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trodden down by the foreign nations until their time is fulfilled.
24 καὶ πεσοῦνται στόματι μαχαίρας, καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔσται πατουμένη ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν ἄχρι πληρωθῶσι καιροὶ ἐθνῶν.
25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth the nations will be in distress, confused by the sea's rolling and crashing.
25 Καὶ ἔσται σημεῖα ἐν ἡλίῳ καὶ σελήνῃ καὶ ἄστροις, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συνοχὴ ἐθνῶν ἐν ἀπορίᾳ ἠχούσης θαλάσσης καὶ σάλου,
26 People will be faint from fear, terrified about what is happening to the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
26 ἀποψυχόντων ἀνθρώπων ἀπὸ φόβου καὶ προσδοκίας τῶν ἐπερχομένων τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· αἱ γὰρ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται.
27 Then they'll see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
27 καὶ τότε ὄψονται τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφέλῃ μετὰ δυνάμεως καὶ δόξης πολλῆς.
28 But when these things happen, stand up and look up, because you will soon be saved.”
28 ἀρχομένων δὲ τούτων γίνεσθαι ἀνακύψατε καὶ ἐπάρατε τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν, διότι ἐγγίζει ἡ ἀπολύτρωσις ὑμῶν.
29 Then he told them this story as an illustration. “Look at the fig tree, or any other kind of tree.
29 Καὶ εἶπε παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς· ἴδετε τὴν συκῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ δένδρα.
30 When you see new leaves appear, you don't need to be told that summer is near.
30 ὅταν προβάλωσιν ἤδη, βλέποντες ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν γινώσκετε ὅτι ἤδη ἐγγὺς τὸ θέρος ἐστίν.
31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you don't need to be told that God's kingdom is near.
31 οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅταν ἴδητε ταῦτα γινόμενα, γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ.
32 I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end before all this happens.
32 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.
33 Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my word will not.
33 ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται, οἱ δὲ λόγοι μου οὐ μὴ παρέλθωσι.
34 Watch out that you don't become distracted by partying or getting drunk or by the worries of this life, so that this day catches you by surprise.
34 Προσέχετε δὲ ἑαυτοῖς μήποτε βαρηθῶσιν ὑμῶν αἱ καρδίαι ἐν κραιπάλῃ καὶ μέθῃ καὶ μερίμναις βιωτικαῖς, καὶ αἰφνίδιος ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐπιστῇ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη·
35 For this day will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the earth.
35 ὡς παγὶς γὰρ ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς.
36 Always keep watch and pray, so that you may be able to escape all that will happen and stand before the Son of man.”
36 ἀγρυπνεῖτε οὖν ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ δεόμενοι ἵνα καταξιωθῆτε ἐκφυγεῖν πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι καὶ σταθῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
37 Every day Jesus taught in the Temple, and every evening he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.
37 Ἦν δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ διδάσκων, τὰς δὲ νύκτας ἐξερχόμενος ηὐλίζετο εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ καλούμενον ἐλαιῶν·
38 All the people came early in the morning to listen to him in the Temple.
38 καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὤρθριζε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ὄρει ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ.
Cross references (38)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 12:41–44; John 8:20; 2 Chronicles 36:18; Matthew 27:6; Nehemiah 13:13
- 2 Mark 12:42
- 3 2 Corinthians 8:12; Acts 10:34; 2 Corinthians 8:2–3; Exodus 35:21–29; Mark 12:43–44
- 4 Acts 2:44–45; Luke 15:12; Acts 4:34; Luke 8:43
- 5 Matthew 24:1–51; Mark 13:1–37; John 2:20
- 6 Mark 13:2; Matthew 24:2; Zechariah 14:2; Lamentations 5:18; Acts 6:13–14
- 7 Mark 13:3–4; Mark 13:14; Acts 1:6–7; Luke 21:27–28; Luke 21:20–21
- 8 1 John 4:1; Mark 13:5–6; Ephesians 5:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:11
- 9 Luke 21:28; Matthew 24:6–8; Mark 13:7–8; Isaiah 51:12–13; Luke 21:18–19
- 10 Acts 2:19–20; Mark 13:8; Hebrews 12:27; Zechariah 14:13; Zechariah 14:2–3
- 11 Matthew 24:29–30; Luke 21:25–27
- 12 1 Peter 4:12–14; Acts 9:4; John 16:2–3; Acts 26:2–11; Acts 25:1–2
- 13 Philippians 1:28; Philippians 1:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:3–4
- 14 Luke 12:11–12; Mark 13:11; Matthew 10:19–20
- 15 Jeremiah 1:9; Ephesians 6:19; Luke 12:12; Acts 6:10; Exodus 4:11–12
- 16 Luke 12:53; Revelation 6:9; Matthew 10:21; Jeremiah 9:4; Micah 7:5–6
- 17 John 15:19; Luke 6:22; 2 Corinthians 12:10; John 15:21; Matthew 24:9
- 18 Matthew 10:30; 1 Samuel 14:45; Acts 27:34; Luke 12:7; 2 Samuel 14:11
- 19 Hebrews 10:36; Matthew 10:22; James 1:3; Romans 5:3; Revelation 3:10
- 20 Luke 19:43; Daniel 9:27; Mark 13:14; Matthew 24:15; Luke 21:7
- 21 Jeremiah 6:1; Mark 13:15; Proverbs 22:3; Exodus 9:20–21; Luke 17:31–33
- 22 Hosea 9:7; Isaiah 65:12–16; 2 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 63:4
- 23 Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 23:29; Lamentations 4:10; Deuteronomy 28:56–57
- 24 Romans 11:25; Revelation 11:2; Isaiah 63:18; Daniel 12:7; Daniel 9:27
- 25 Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:30–31; Revelation 6:12–14; Daniel 12:1; Isaiah 24:23
- 26 Deuteronomy 28:65–67; Matthew 24:29; 2 Peter 3:10–12; Leviticus 26:36; Mark 13:25
- 27 Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Matthew 26:64; Daniel 7:13
- 28 Romans 8:23; Isaiah 60:1–2; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:19; Isaiah 12:1–3
- 29 Mark 13:28–30; Matthew 24:32–35
- 30 Luke 12:57
- 31 James 5:9; Hebrews 10:37; 1 Peter 4:7; Matthew 3:2; Luke 12:51–57
- 32 Matthew 24:34; Mark 13:30; Matthew 23:36; Matthew 16:28; Luke 11:50–51
- 33 Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31; Matthew 24:35; Isaiah 51:6; Psalm 102:26
- 34 Mark 4:19; Luke 12:45–46; Luke 12:40; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–8; 1 Peter 4:3–7
- 35 Revelation 16:15; Isaiah 24:17–18; Jeremiah 48:43–44; Luke 17:37; Psalm 11:6
- 36 1 John 2:28; Matthew 25:13; 1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 24:42; 1 Peter 4:7
- 37 Luke 22:39; Matthew 21:17; Mark 11:19; Matthew 26:55; Matthew 21:1
- 38 John 8:1–2
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… set aside all their possessions for the Lord's purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living into the treasury of God.
I hear the voice of my God commanding, let not "your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness." "Drunkenness," it is far from me; Thou wilt have mercy, that it approach not near unto me.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And elsewhere indeed He saith, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom;" but here, "It is the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you," advancing them unto the dignity of the prophets.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
These things have already come to pass; and again, And fearful sights from heaven, and mighty storms.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… continually upon every occasion, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day shall come upon you unawares; for as a snare shall it come upon all dwelling upon the face of the earth." "Let your loins, therefore, be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye like to …