The Widow’s Offering
1 yJesus1 looked up and saw the rich zputting their gifts into athe offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two bsmall copper coins.2 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, cthis poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her dpoverty put in all eshe had to live on.”
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
5 fAnd while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, gthe days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, hwhen will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, i“See that you are not led astray. For jmany will come in my name, saying, k‘I am he!’ and, l‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be mterrified, for these things nmust first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution
10 Then he said to them, o“Nation will rise against nation, and pkingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great qearthquakes, and in various places rfamines and pestilences. And there will be sterrors and great tsigns from heaven. 12 But before all this uthey will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to vthe synagogues and wprisons, and you xwill be brought before ykings and zgovernors for my name’s sake. 13 aThis will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds bnot to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for cI will give you a mouth and dwisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or econtradict. 16 You will be delivered up feven by parents and brothers3 and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 gYou will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But hnot a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your iendurance you will gain your lives.
Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem
20 “But jwhen you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that kits desolation has come near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22 for these are ldays of mvengeance, to fulfill nall that is written. 23 oAlas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and pwrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and qbe led captive among all nations, and rJerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, suntil the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The Coming of the Son of Man
25 “And tthere will be signs in sun and moon uand stars, and on the earth vdistress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For wthe powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see xthe Son of Man coming in a cloud ywith power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and zraise your heads, because ayour redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see bfor yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 cTruly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 dHeaven and earth will pass away, but emy words will not pass away.
Watch Yourselves
34 “But watch yourselves flest gyour hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and hcares of this life, and ithat day come upon you suddenly jlike a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But kstay awake at all times, lpraying that you may mhave strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and nto stand before the Son of Man.”
37 And oevery day he was teaching in the temple, but pat night he went out and lodged on qthe mount called Olivet. 38 And early in the morning oall the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
The Beginning of Knowledge
1 aThe proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in brighteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to cthe simple,
knowledge and ddiscretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and eincrease in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
7 hThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 iHear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are ja graceful garland for your head
and kpendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners lentice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, mlet us lie in wait for blood;
nlet us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us oswallow them alive,
and whole, like pthose who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, qdo not walk in the way with them;
rhold back your foot from their paths,
16 for stheir feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 tFor in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men ulie in wait for their own blood;
they uset an ambush for their own lives.
19 vSuch are the ways of everyone who is wgreedy for unjust gain;
xit takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 yWisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at zthe entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O asimple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will bscoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools chate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,1
behold, I will dpour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 eBecause I have called and fyou refused to listen,
have gstretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have hignored all my counsel
and iwould have none of my reproof,
26 I also jwill laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when kterror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like la storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 mThen they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they chated knowledge
and ndid not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 hwould have none of my counsel
and idespised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat othe fruit of their way,
and have ptheir fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by qtheir turning away,
and rthe complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but swhoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be tat ease, without dread of disaster.”
