Matthew 24
Amplified Bible
Signs of Christ’s Return
24 Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the [magnificent and massive] [a]buildings of the temple.(A) 2 And He said to them, “Do you see all these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone here will be left on another, which will not be torn down.”
3 While Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, and said, “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”
4 Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. 5 For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. 6 You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].
9 “Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come.
Perilous Times
15 “So when you see the [b]abomination of desolation [the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the [c]reader understand),(B) 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge]. 17 Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house [because there will not be enough time]. 18 Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 19 And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 Pray that your flight [from persecution and suffering] will not be in winter, or on a Sabbath [when Jewish laws prohibit travel]. 21 For [d]at that time there will be a great tribulation (pressure, distress, oppression), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [again].(C) 22 And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened. 23 Then if anyone says to you [during the great tribulation], ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones). 25 Listen carefully, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there, or, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms [of a house],’ do not believe it. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly]. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the [e]vultures will flock together.(D)
The Glorious Return
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not provide its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.(E) 30 And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor].(F) 31 And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.(G)
Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near;(H) 33 so you, too, when you see all [f]these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right [g]at the door. 34 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
36 “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment].(I) 40 At that time two men will be in the field; one will be [h]taken [for judgment] and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken [for judgment] and one will be left.
Be Ready for His Coming
42 “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.(J) 44 Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time?(K) 46 Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so. 47 I assure you and most solemnly say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware, 51 and will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].
Footnotes
- Matthew 24:1 The massive size and polished surfaces of the fitted stones that formed the temple structure created a magnificent sight (cf Luke 21:5). The refurbishing of the temple was begun by Herod the Great in 20 b.c. and was completed in a.d. 64 by Herod Agrippa II. The rabbis had a saying: “Whoever has not seen the temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building” (as quoted from the Talmud). They also said that Herod built it of yellow, white, and perhaps blue marble; and that he intended to cover it with gold, but the rabbis advised him not to because it was beautiful just as it was, looking like the waves of the sea.
- Matthew 24:15 I.e. the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:4), “the prince who is to come” who will make a covenant with Israel, then break it in the middle of the tribulation (the seven-year period of Dan 9:27).
- Matthew 24:15 I.e. the reader of the book of Daniel (cf 24:15). Jesus is indicating that the final fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to come.
- Matthew 24:21 The most obvious sign during the tribulation, prior to the second coming of Jesus, is when the abomination that causes desolation (the Antichrist) sets his image in the temple.
- Matthew 24:28 The Greek for “vultures” can also be translated “eagles,” but the reference is most likely to the vulture, which the Greek word includes with eagles as a class. The meaning of this much discussed verse is either that the corpse represents the returning Christ, whose appearance will attract the attention of the entire world, that is, the vultures; or that the corrupt world is the corpse, about to be judged by the returning Christ (Rev 19:18).
- Matthew 24:33 I.e. false christs, wars, famines, earthquakes.
- Matthew 24:33 I.e. the return of the Christ is imminent.
- Matthew 24:40 This is not the removal of the church described in 1 Thess 4:13-18 and Rev 3:10. The one taken is taken for judgment just as the wicked were taken by the flood in Noah’s day. The one left is left to enter the kingdom that Christ will establish.
马太福音 24
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
預言聖殿被毀(A)
24 耶穌出了聖殿，往前走的時候，門徒前來把聖殿的建築指給他看。 2 他對門徒說：“你們不是看見了這一切嗎？我實在告訴你們，將來在這裡必沒有一塊石頭留在另一塊石頭上面，每一塊都要拆下來。”
這世代終結的預兆(B)
3 耶穌坐在橄欖山上，門徒暗中前來問他：“請告訴我們，甚麼時候會有這些事呢？你的降臨和這世代的終結，有甚麼預兆呢？” 4 耶穌回答他們：“你們要小心，不要被人迷惑； 5 因為許多人要假冒我的名而來，說：‘我就是基督’，並且要迷惑許多的人。 6 你們要聽見戰爭，也聽見戰爭的風聲；你們要小心，不要驚慌，因為這是免不了的，不過結局還沒有到。 7 一個民族要起來攻打另一個民族，一個國家要起來攻打另一個國家，到處都有饑荒和地震， 8 這一切不過是痛苦的開始。 9 那時人要把你們送去受苦，也要殺害你們，你們要因我的名被萬民恨惡。 10 那時許多人會失去信仰，彼此出賣，互相恨惡； 11 也有許多假先知出現，要迷惑許多人。 12 因為不法的事增加，許多人的愛心就冷淡了。 13 唯有堅忍到底的，必然得救。 14 這天國的福音要傳遍天下，向萬民作見證，然後結局才來到。
大災難的日子(C)
15 “當你們看見但以理先知所說的‘那造成荒涼的可憎者’，站在聖地的時候（讀者必須領悟）， 16 那時，住在猶太的應當逃到山上； 17 在房頂的不要下來拿家裡的東西； 18 在田裡的也不要回去取衣服。 19 當那些日子，懷孕的和乳養孩子的有禍了！ 20 你們應當祈求，叫你們逃難的時候，不是在冬天或安息日， 21 因為那時必有大災難，這是從世界的開始到現在未曾有過的，以後也必不會再有。 22 如果那些日子不減少，沒有一個人可以存活；但是為了選民，那些日子必會減少。 23 那時，如果有人對你們說：‘看哪，基督在這裡！’或說：‘他在那裡！’你們不要信， 24 因為必有假基督和假先知出現，顯大神蹟和奇事；如果可以的話，他們連選民也要迷惑。 25 你們看！我已經事先告訴你們了。 26 如果他們對你們說：‘看！基督在曠野裡。’你們不要出去；或說：‘看！他在內室裡。’也不要相信。 27 電光怎樣從東方閃出來，一直照到西方，人子降臨的時候，也是這樣。 28 屍首在哪裡，鷹也必聚在哪裡。
人子必駕雲降臨(D)
29 “那些日子的災難剛過去：
太陽就變黑了，
月亮也不發光，
眾星從天墜落，
天上的萬象震動。
30 “那時，人子的徵兆要顯在天上，地上的萬族都要哀號，並且看見人子帶著能力，滿有榮耀，駕著天上的雲降臨。 31 當號筒發出響聲，他要差派使者，把他的選民從四方，從天這邊到天那邊都招聚來。
32 “你們應該從無花果樹學個功課：樹枝長出嫩芽生出葉子的時候，你們就知道夏天近了； 33 同樣，當你們看見這一切，就知道人子已經近在門口了。 34 我實在告訴你們，這一切都必要發生，然後這世代才會過去。 35 天地都要過去，但我的話決不會廢去。
警醒準備(E)
36 “至於那日子和時間，沒有人知道，連天上的使者和子也不知道，只有父知道。 37 挪亞的時代怎樣，人子降臨的時候也是這樣。 38 洪水之前的時代，人們吃喝嫁娶，直到挪亞進入方舟的那一天； 39 等到洪水來到，把他們沖去，他們才明白過來；人子降臨的時候也是這樣。 40 那時，兩個人在田裡工作，一個被接去，一個撇下來； 41 兩個女人在磨坊推磨，一個被接去，一個撇下來。 42 因此，你們要警醒，因為不知道你們的主甚麼時候要來。 43 你們都知道，家主若曉得竊賊晚上甚麼時候會來，就會提高警覺，不讓他摸進屋裡。 44 所以，你們也要準備妥當，因為在想不到的時候，人子就來了。
忠心的僕人有福了(F)
45 “誰是忠心和精明的僕人，被主人指派管理全家，按時分派糧食的呢？ 46 主人來到，看見他這樣作，那僕人就有福了。 47 我實在告訴你們，主人要指派他管理自己的一切財產。 48 如果他是個壞的僕人，心裡說‘我的主人不會那麼快回來’， 49 就動手打其他的僕人，又和醉酒的人吃喝。 50 在他想不到的日子，不知道的時間，那僕人的主人要來， 51 嚴厲地處罰他，使他和虛偽的人同在一起；在那裡必要哀哭切齒。”
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Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
