The Widow's Offering

211 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury . 2 And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins . 3 And He said , "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering ; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on."

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs before the End

5 And while some were talking about the temple , that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts , He said , 6 "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down ." 7 They questioned Him, saying , "Teacher , when therefore will these things happen ? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place ?" 8 And He said , "See to it that you are not misled ; for many will come in My name , saying , ' I am He,' and, 'The time is near .' Do not go after them. 9 "When you hear of wars and disturbances , do not be terrified ; for these things must take place first , but the end does not follow immediately ." 10 Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom , 11 and there will be great earthquakes , and in various places plagues and famines ; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven . 12 "But before all these things , they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons , bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake . 13 " It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony . 14 " So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute . 16 "But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends , and they will put some of you to death , 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name . 18 "Yet not a hair of your head will perish . 19 " By your endurance you will gain your lives .

20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies , then recognize that her desolation is near . 21 "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains , and those who are in the midst of the city must leave , and those who are in the country must not enter the city ; 22 because these are days of vengeance , so that all things which are written will be fulfilled . 23 "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days ; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people ; 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword , and will be led captive into all the nations ; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled .

The Coming of the Son of Man

25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars , and on the earth dismay among nations , in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves , 26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world ; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken . 27 " Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory . 28 "But when these things begin to take place , straighten up and lift up your heads , because your redemption is drawing near ."

29 Then He told them a parable : "Behold the fig tree and all the trees ; 30 as soon e as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near . 31 "So you also , when you see these things happening , recognize that the kingdom of God is near . 32 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place . 33 " Heaven and earth will pass away , but My words will not pass away . 34 " Be on guard , so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life , and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap ; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth . 36 "But keep on the alert at all times , praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place , and to stand before the Son of Man ." 37 Now during the day He was teaching in the temple , but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet . 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar , when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea , and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee , and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis , and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene , 2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John , the son of Zacharias , in the wilderness . 3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan , preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins ; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , " THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS , 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE Lord , MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT . 5 ' EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED , AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW ; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME e STRAIGHT , AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH ; 6 AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD .' " 7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, " You brood of vipers , who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? 8 "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance , and do not begin to say to yourselves , ' We have Abraham for our father ,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham . 9 "Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees ; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire ." 10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying , " Then what shall we do ?" 11 And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none ; and he who has food is to do likewise ." 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized , and they said to him, "Teacher , what shall we do ?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying , "And what about us, what shall we do ?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force , or accuse anyone falsely , and be content with your wages ."

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John , as to whether he was the Christ , 16 John answered and said to them all , "As for me, I baptize you with water ; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals ; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire . 17 "His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor , and to gather the wheat into His barn ; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ." 18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people . 19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias , his brother's wife , and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done , 20 Herod also added this to them all : he locked John up in prison .

The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now when all the people were baptized , Jesus was also baptized , and while He was praying , heaven was opened , 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove , and a voice came out of heaven , " You are My beloved Son , in You I am well-pleased ."

The Genealogy of Jesus

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age , being , as was supposed , the son of Joseph , the son of Eli , 24 the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , the son of Melchi , the son of Jannai , the son of Joseph , 25 the son of Mattathias , the son of Amos , the son of Nahum , the son of Hesli , the son of Naggai , 26 the son of Maath , the son of Mattathias , the son of Semein , the son of Josech , the son of Joda , 27 the son of Joanan , the son of Rhesa , the son of Zerubbabel , the son of Shealtiel , the son of Neri , 28 the son of Melchi , the son of Addi , the son of Cosam , the son of Elmadam , the son of Er , 29 the son of Joshua , the son of Eliezer , the son of Jorim , the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , 30 the son of Simeon , the son of Judah , the son of Joseph , the son of Jonam , the son of Eliakim , 31 the son of Melea , the son of Menna , the son of Mattatha , the son of Nathan , the son of David , 32 the son of Jesse , the son of Obed , the son of Boaz , the son of Salmon , the son of Nahshon , 33 the son of Amminadab , the son of Admin , the son of Ram , the son of Hezron , the son of Perez , the son of Judah , 34 the son of Jacob , the son of Isaac , the son of Abraham , the son of Terah , the son of Nahor , 35 the son of Serug , the son of Reu , the son of Peleg , the son of Heber , the son of Shelah , 36 the son of Cainan , the son of Arphaxad , the son of Shem , the son of Noah , the son of Lamech , 37 the son of Methuselah , the son of Enoch , the son of Jared , the son of Mahalaleel , the son of Cainan , 38 the son of Enosh , the son of Seth , the son of Adam , the son of God .