Luke 21 Now later, upon looking up, He saw the rich people, one after another, tossing their gifts into the treasury (a guarded collection box for offerings).

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Now later, upon looking up, He saw the rich people, one after another, tossing their gifts into the treasury (a guarded collection box for offerings). ² But in contrast, He saw a certain needy, working-class widow in the midst of dropping two mites (small copper coins of very little value) there, ³ and He said, "Really (or: Truly), I am saying to you folks that this destitute widow cast [in] more than all of them. ⁴ "For you see, all these folks tossed the gifts into [the treasury] from out of their surplus and the excess of wealth that continually surrounds [them], but this woman, from out of her [situation] of lack and want, dropped [in] all her livelihood (= all she had to live on) which she was normally (or: presently) having." ⁵ Later, while certain folks were in the midst of remarking about the Temple complex – how that it had been arranged and stands adorned with fine, beautiful stones and stonework, as well as the effects of things set up (possibly: dedicated objects; votive offerings; memorial decorations) – ⁶ He said, "These things at which you folks continue gazing with attentive interest – days will progress in coming in which a stone will not continue being left here upon a stone, which will not be progressively loosed down in complete destruction." ⁷ So folks continued asking Him, "Teacher, when, therefore, will these things progress in being – and what [will be] the sign, whenever these things should progressively be about to continue happening?" ⁸ Now He replied, "Continue looking. You should not at any point be deceived or led astray. You see, many people will continue coming – on the [basis of] My name (i.e., claiming to be My representative and have My authority) – one after another saying, 'I am (or: I, myself, am [he; the one])!' and 'The appointed season (or: fitting situation) has drawn near and is now present!' You folks should not at any point go from place to place behind them. ⁹ "So when you happen to hear of wars and unsettled conditions (instability; unrest; turmoil; insurrections), you people should not be terrified or caused to panic with alarm. You see, it continues necessary, even binding, for these things to happen (occur; come to be) first, but still the end (or: the final act; the finished condition) [is] not immediately." ¹⁰ At that time He went on to say to them, "Nation (or: Ethnic group) will be progressively raised up upon nation (or: ethnic group), and kingdom (or: empire) upon kingdom (empire). (or: = A swarm will be progressively roused upon [the] nation [= the Jewish nation]; even [the] Empire upon [the Jews'] kingdom.) ¹¹ "Also, there will continue being major earthquakes (or: great shakings), and in one place after another, there will proceed being pestilences (or: epidemics; plagues) and famines, besides fearful sights and dreadful events, as well as there being great signs from [the] sky (or: atmosphere; heaven). [cf Ex. 7-11; Rev. 15-16] ¹² "Yet before all these things, people will continue laying their hands on you folks, and they will be repeatedly chasing and persecuting [you], handing over one after another unto the synagogues (places of worship and fellowship) and [into] jails and prisons, while you are repeatedly being led off, up before kings and governors – on account of My Name. ¹³ "Yet it will continue going away for (or: stepping off among) you folks, [leading] into a witness and a testimony (= an opportunity for giving your evidence). ¹⁴ "Therefore, you people put [it] in your hearts not to be habitually premeditating or rehearsing beforehand to make [your] defenses. ¹⁵ "You see, I Myself will continue giving to you people a mouth (= ability and an opportunity to speak) as well as wisdom, to which all your opponents, who are repeatedly lying in ambush against you, will not continue being able to at any point stand in opposition to or resist, nor to speak against or contradict. ¹⁶ "Now you people will even proceed in being turned in (or: handed over) by parents and brothers and relatives and friends – and folks will keep on putting some of you to death. ¹⁷ "Furthermore, you folks will continue being ones being constantly regarded and treated with ill will, and even hated, by all – because of My Name (= because of your association with Me, or, because you bear and proclaim My Name). ¹⁸ "And yet, not a hair from out of your head can by any means be lost (or: should by no means be loosed-away or destroyed). ¹⁹ "Within the midst of your persistent, supportive remaining-under (or: In union with your patient endurance), be progressively gaining possession of your souls (or: continue acquiring your inner life; make it a habit to procure and possess yourself; [with other MSS: you folks will repeatedly gain and progressively acquire your lives/selves]). ²⁰ "Now later, when you folks see Jerusalem being continuously surrounded by encamped armies, at that time realize and know from that experience that her desolation has drawn near and is now present. ²¹ "At that point, let the people in Judea progressively flee into the hill country and mountains; then let the people within the midst of her [i.e., Jerusalem] proceed departing out of that place, and don't let (or: let not) the folks in the country or the district continue coming (or: going) into her, ²² "because these are days of executing justice – of bringing about what is fair and right and of establishing what accords with the Way pointed out – with a view to have fulfilled all the things having been written (or: for all that is written to be fulfilled)! ²³ "Tragic will be the situation for the women then being pregnant, and for the ones still nursing [babies] in those days. You see there will progressively be a great compressive force upon the Land, and inherent fervor bringing internal swelling emotion on this People. ²⁴ "And so, folks will keep on falling by [the] mouth of a sword, and [others] will proceed being led captive into all the nations (or: into the midst to unite with every ethnic group) – and Jerusalem will continue being progressively trampled by and under pagans (non-Jews; those of the nations) until where they can (or: should) be fulfilled. And then there will progress being seasons of the ethnic multitudes (or: fitting situations pertaining to the nations; or: occasions which have the qualities and characteristics of the pagans; or: fertile moments with regard to non-Jews). [cf Rev. 11] ²⁵ "Also, there will keep on being signs: in sun and moon and stars [comment: a figure of a disruption of father, mother and brothers, i.e., social organization and leadership – Gen. 37:9-10], and upon the Land [comment: of Israel?] (or: earth; ground; soil): a constraint from [the] non-Jews (or: with a character pagans; which is nations) in the midst of a perplexity in which there seems no way out – [like being in the] roar and surging of a sea – ²⁶ "pertaining to humans progressively breathing away and cooling off (= fainting, or dying) from fear and apprehension (thoughts about what is going to happen) pertaining to the things progressively coming upon the homeland (the place being inhabited) – for you see, ‘the abilities of the heavens (or: the powers of the sky and atmosphere; [note: may = folks normally in charge of things]) will be progressively shaken.’ [Hag. 2:6, 21] ²⁷ "And at that point (or: time), they will keep on seeing (or: perceiving) ‘the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the Human Being; = the eschatological messianic figure) progressively coming within the midst of a cloud,’ [Dan. 7:13-14] with power and much glory (or: with ability and a profound reputation; or: along with power and a manifestation which calls forth praise). ²⁸ "Now as these things are beginning to be progressively happening, at once bend back up (or: stand tall and erect), and then lift up your heads (= hold your heads high), because your setting free – which came by the payment of a ransom – (the loosing-away of you folks; your redemption) is progressively drawing near!" ²⁹ And then (or: Later; With that) He spoke an illustration to them (or: told them a parable): "Look at and perceive the fig tree – as well as all the trees. ³⁰ "Whenever they may be already budding (or: shooting forth sprouts), in consistently seeing (or: observing) [this] for yourselves, you normally know from experience that the summer is already near. ³¹ "In this same way, then (or: also), you yourselves: whenever you folks may see (or: perceive) these things progressively coming to be (occurring; happening; being birthed), be progressively knowing from experience that God's reigning and activity of sovereignty (or: the kingdom and royal rule of God) is (or: exist being) close at hand – near enough to touch (= has arrived and is accessible)! It is true (or: Amen; Count on it). ³² "I now proceed telling you that this very generation can under no circumstances pass on by (or: may by no means pass along) until all these things can happen (or: should occur). ³³ "The sky and the land (or: This heaven and earth) will be progressively passing on by, yet My words (thoughts and ideas; or: messages) will under no circumstances proceed to be passing on by. ³⁴ "So you people make it a habit to hold your attention to yourselves, and hold to each other, lest at some time your hearts may be weighed down or burdened – in the midst of a hangover (or: headache nausea or giddiness from an overindulgence in wine), and in drunkenness (intoxication) – as well as by anxiety (or: care; concern; worry) in the daily matters pertaining to living, and then that day take its stand upon you folks unforeseen (with unexpected suddenness), as a trap (a snare; a net; something that will catch and hold). ³⁵ "You see, it will continue coming in upon (or: enter on) all the people normally sitting (= presently dwelling) upon [the] face (= surface) of the entire Land (or: all the earth). ³⁶ "So you people be constantly staying awake, alert and watchful – in each season and every situation (or: in union with every fertile moment and on every occasion) – repeatedly asking with urgency, or begging, so that you can be fully strong to flee out and escape all these things being presently and progressively about to be happening, and then to be placed (or: cause to stand) in front of the Son of the Man (the Human Being; = Adam's Son; = the eschatological messianic figure)." ³⁷ Now He was [during] the days repeatedly teaching within the Temple courts and grounds, yet [during] the nights, after going out into the mountain, He was making it a habit to spend the night (camp out) [in the midst of] the Mount of Olives. ³⁸ And so, all the people kept on arising early in the morning [to come] to Him within the Temple courts (or: grounds), to continue listening to and hearing Him.