The Temple Will Be Destroyed
(Matthew 24.1Matthew 2Luke 21.5Luke 6)1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these beautiful stones and wonderful buildings!”
2 Jesus replied, “Do you see these huge buildings? They will certainly be torn down! Not one stone will be left in place.”
Warning about Trouble
(Matthew 24.3-14Luke 21.7-19)3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him in private. 4 They asked, “When will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
5 Jesus answered:
Watch out and don't let anyone fool you! 6 Many will come and claim to be me. They will use my name and fool many people.
7 When you hear about wars and threats of wars, don't be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn't the end. 8 Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. There will be earthquakes in many places, and people will starve to death. But this is just the beginning of troubles.
9 Be on your guard! You will be taken to courts and beaten with whips in their synagogues. And because of me, you will have to stand before rulers and kings to tell about your faith. 10 But before the end comes, the good news must be preached to all nations.
11 When you are arrested, don't worry about what you will say. You will be given the right words when the time comes. But you will not really be the ones speaking. Your words will come from the Holy Spirit.
12 Brothers and sisters will betray each other and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.
The Horrible Thing
(Matthew 24.15-21Luke 21.20-24)14 Someday you will see that “Horrible Thing” where it should not be. Everyone who reads this must try to understand! If you are living in Judea at that time, run to the mountains. 15 If you are on the roof of your house, don't go inside to get anything. 16 If you are out in the field, don't go back for your coat. 17 It will be an awful time for women who are expecting babies or nursing young children. 18 Pray that it won't happen in winter. 19 This will be the worst time of suffering since God created the world, and nothing this terrible will ever happen again. 20 If the Lord doesn't make the time shorter, no one will be left alive. But because of his chosen and special ones, he will make the time shorter.
21 If someone should say, “Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!” don't believe it. 22 False messiahs and false prophets will come and work miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones. 23 But be on your guard! That's why I am telling you these things now.
When the Son of Man Appears
(Matthew 24.29-31Luke 21.25-28)24 In those days, right after this time of suffering,
“The sun will become dark,
and the moon
will no longer shine.
25 The stars will fall,
and the powers in the sky
will be shaken.”
26 Then the Son of Man will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 He will send his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the earth.
A Lesson from a Fig Tree
(Matthew 24.32-35Luke 21.29-33)28 Learn a lesson from a fig tree. When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know summer is near. 29 So when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time has almost come. 30 You can be sure that some of the people of this generation will still be alive when all this happens. 31 The sky and the earth will not last forever, but my words will.
No One Knows the Day or Time
(Matthew 24.36-44)32 No one knows the day or the time. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows. 33 So watch out and be ready! You don't know when the time will come. 34 It is like what happens when a man goes away for a while and places his servants in charge of everything. He tells each of them what to do, and he orders the guard to keep alert. 35 So be alert! You don't know when the master of the house will come back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or in the morning. 36 But if he comes suddenly, don't let him find you asleep. 37 I tell everyone just what I have told you. Be alert!
1 And as he went out of the Temple, one of his disciples said vnto him, Master, see what maner stones, and what maner buildings are here. 2 Then Iesus answered and saide vnto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone vpon a stone, that shall not be throwen downe. 3 And as he sate on the mount of Oliues, ouer against the Temple, Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and Andrew asked him secretly, 4 Tell vs, when shall these things be? and what shalbe the signe when all these things shalbe fulfilled? 5 And Iesus answered them, and began to say, Take heede lest any man deceiue you. 6 For many shall come in my Name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceiue many. 7 Furthermore when ye shall heare, of warres, and rumours of warres, be ye not troubled: for such things must needes be: but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdome against kingdome, and there shalbe earthquakes in diuers quarters, and there shalbe famine and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorowes. 9 But take ye heede to your selues: for they shall deliuer you vp to the Councils, and to the Synagogues: ye shalbe beaten, and brought before rulers and Kings for my sake, for a testimoniall vnto them. 10 And the Gospel must first be published among all nations. 11 But when they leade you, and deliuer you vp, be not carefull before hand, neither studie what ye shall say: but what is giuen you at the same time, that speake: for it is not ye that speake, but the holy Ghost. 12 Yea, and the brother shall deliuer the brother to death, and the father the sonne, and the children shall rise against their parents, and shall cause them to die. 13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake: but whosoeuer shall endure vnto the end, he shalbe saued. 14 Moreouer, when ye shall see the abomination of desolation (spoken of by Daniel the Prophet) set where it ought not, (let him that readeth, consider it) then let them that be in Iudea, flee into the mountaines, 15 And let him that is vpon the house, not come downe into the house, neither enter therein, to fetch any thing out of his house. 16 And let him that is in the fielde, not turne backe againe to take his garment. 17 Then wo shalbe to the that are with child, and to them that giue sucke in those dayes. 18 Pray therefore that your flight be not in the winter. 19 For those dayes shalbe such tribulation, as was not from the beginning of ye creation which God created vnto this time, neither shalbe. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those dayes, no flesh shoulde be saued: but for the elects sake, which he hath chosen, he hath shortened those dayes. 21 Then if any man say to you, Loe, here is Christ, or, lo, he is there, beleeue it not. 22 For false Christes shall rise, and false prophets, and shall shewe signes and wonders, to deceiue if it were possible the very elect. 23 But take ye heede: beholde, I haue shewed you all things before. 24 Moreouer in those dayes, after that tribulation, the sunne shall waxe darke, and ye moone shall not giue her light, 25 And the starres of heauen shall fall: and the powers which are in heauen, shall shake. 26 And then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in ye cloudes, with great power and glory. 27 And he shall then send his Angels, and shall gather together his elect from the foure windes, and from the vtmost part of the earth to the vtmost part of heauen. 28 Nowe learne a parable of the figge tree. When her bough is yet tender, and it bringeth foorth leaues, ye knowe that sommer is neere. 29 So in like maner, when ye see these things come to passe, knowe that the kingdom of God is neere, euen at the doores. 30 Verely I say vnto you, that this generation shall not passe, till all these things be done. 31 Heauen and earth shall passe away, but my woordes shall not passe away. 32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man, no, not the Angels which are in heauen, neither the Sonne himselfe, but the Father. 33 Take heede: watch, and praie: for yee knowe not when the time is. 34 For the Sonne of man is as a man going into a strange countrey, and leaueth his house, and giueth authoritie to his seruaunts, and to euery man his woorke, and commandeth the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore, (for ye know not whe ye master of the house will come, at eue, or at midnight, at the cocke crowing, or in the dawning,) 36 Least if he come suddenly, he should finde you sleeping. 37 And those things that I say vnto you, I say vnto all men, Watch.