Perilous Times

15 “Therefore when you see the (A)abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in (B)the holy place—[a](C)let the [b]reader understand— 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 [c]Whoever is on (D)the [d]housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. 18 And [e]whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But (E)woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Moreover, pray that [f]when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a (F)great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no [g]life would have been saved; but for (G)the sake of the [h]elect those days will be cut short. 23 (H)Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the [i]Christ,’ or ‘He is over here,’ do not believe him. 24 For false christs and (I)false prophets will arise and will provide great [j](J)signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even (K)the [k]elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 (L)For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will the (M)coming of the (N)Son of Man [l]be. 28 (O)Wherever the corpse is, there the [m]vultures will gather.

The Glorious Return

29 “But immediately after the (P)tribulation of those days (Q)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and (R)the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then (S)the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see (T)the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And (U)He will send forth His angels with (V)a great trumpet blast, and they will gather together His [n](W)elect from (X)the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Parable of the Fig Tree

32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so you too, when you see all these things, [o]recognize that [p]He is near, right (Y)at the [q]door. 34 Truly I say to you, (Z)this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 (AA)Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 24:15 Or the reader is to understand
  2. Matthew 24:15 I.e., the reader of Daniel
  3. Matthew 24:17 Lit The one who
  4. Matthew 24:17 Housetops were flat living areas
  5. Matthew 24:18 Lit the one who
  6. Matthew 24:20 Lit your flight will not be
  7. Matthew 24:22 Lit flesh
  8. Matthew 24:22 Or chosen ones
  9. Matthew 24:23 I.e., Messiah
  10. Matthew 24:24 I.e., confirming miracles
  11. Matthew 24:24 Or chosen ones
  12. Matthew 24:27 I.e., be visible everywhere
  13. Matthew 24:28 Or eagles
  14. Matthew 24:31 Or chosen ones
  15. Matthew 24:33 Or know
  16. Matthew 24:33 Or it
  17. Matthew 24:33 Lit doors

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