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Jesus looked around and saw rich people dropping their gifts in the Temple treasury,
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and he also saw a very poor widow dropping in two little copper coins.
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He said, "I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all the others.
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For the others offered their gifts from what they had to spare of their riches; but she, poor as she is, gave all she had to live on."
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Some of the disciples were talking about the Temple, how beautiful it looked with its fine stones and the gifts offered to God. Jesus said,
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"All this you see - the time will come when not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one will be thrown down."
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"Teacher," they asked, "when will this be? And what will happen in order to show that the time has come for it to take place?"
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Jesus said, "Watch out; don't be fooled. Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, "I am he!' and, "The time has come!' But don't follow them.
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Don't be afraid when you hear of wars and revolutions; such things must happen first, but they do not mean that the end is near."
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He went on to say, "Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another.
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There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and plagues everywhere; there will be strange and terrifying things coming from the sky.
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Before all these things take place, however, you will be arrested and persecuted; you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison; you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake.
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This will be your chance to tell the Good News.
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Make up your minds ahead of time not to worry about how you will defend yourselves,
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because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.
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You will be handed over by your parents, your brothers, your relatives, and your friends; and some of you will be put to death.
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Everyone will hate you because of me.
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But not a single hair from your heads will be lost.
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Stand firm, and you will save yourselves.