The Great Day of the Lord

4 ^[a] “For behold, ^(A)the day is coming, ^(B)burning like an oven, when ^(C)all the arrogant and ^(D)all evildoers ^(E)will be stubble. The day that is coming ^(F)shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. ² But for you ^(G)who fear my name, ^(H)the sun ^(I)of righteousness shall rise ^(J)with healing in its wings. You shall go out ^(K)leaping like calves from the stall. ³ And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, ^(L)on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

^4 (M)“Remember ^(N)the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules^[b] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

^5 (O)“Behold, I will send you ^(P)Elijah the prophet ^(Q)before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. ⁶ And he will ^(R)turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and ^(S)strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”^[c]

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord

A Psalm.

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brothers,^{[a] (A)}pray for us, that ^(B)the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,^[b] as happened among you, ² and ^(C)that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For ^(D)not all have faith. ³ But ^(E)the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and ^(F)guard you against ^(G)the evil one.^{[c] 4} And ^(H)we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. ⁵ May the Lord ^(I)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, ^(A)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)that you keep away from any ^(C)brother ^(D)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know ^(E)how you ought to imitate us, because ^(F)we were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but ^(G)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ It was ^(H)not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves ^(I)an example to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: ^(J)If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you ^(K)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(L)busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[a]

¹³ As for you, brothers, ^(M)do not grow weary in doing good.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

^5 (A)And 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, ^(B)the 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, ^(C)when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, ^(D)“See that you are not led astray. For ^(E)many will come in my name, saying, ^(F)‘I am he!’ and, ^(G)‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. ⁹ And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be ^(H)terrified, for these things ^(I)must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

¹⁰ Then he said to them, ^(J)“Nation will rise against nation, and ^(K)kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be great ^(L)earthquakes, and in various places ^(M)famines and pestilences. And there will be ^(N)terrors and great ^(O)signs from heaven. ¹² But before all this ^(P)they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to ^(Q)the synagogues and ^(R)prisons, and you ^(S)will be brought before ^(T)kings and ^(U)governors for my name's sake. ^13 (V)This will be your opportunity to bear witness. ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your minds ^(W)not to meditate beforehand how to answer, ¹⁵ for ^(X)I will give you a mouth and ^(Y)wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or ^(Z)contradict. ¹⁶ You will be delivered up ^(AA)even by parents and brothers^[a] and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. ^17 (AB)You will be hated by all for my name's sake. ¹⁸ But ^(AC)not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your ^(AD)endurance you will gain your lives.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

²⁰ “But ^(AE)when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that ^(AF)its 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 ^(AG)days of ^(AH)vengeance, to fulfill ^(AI)all that is written. ^23 (AJ)Alas 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 ^(AK)wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and ^(AL)be led captive among all nations, and ^(AM)Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, ^(AN)until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁵ “And ^(AO)there will be signs in sun and moon ^(AP)and stars, and on the earth ^(AQ)distress 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 ^(AR)the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see ^(AS)the Son of Man coming in a cloud ^(AT)with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and ^(AU)raise your heads, because ^(AV)your 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 ^(A)for 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 (B)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. ^33 (C)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(D)my words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

³⁴ “But watch yourselves ^(E)lest ^(F)your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and ^(G)cares of this life, and ^(H)that day come upon you suddenly ^(I)like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But ^(J)stay awake at all times, ^(K)praying that you may ^(L)have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and ^(M)to stand before the Son of Man.”