Matthew 24
Living Bible
24 As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples came along and wanted to take him on a tour of the various Temple buildings.
2 But he told them, “All these buildings will be knocked down, with not one stone left on top of another!”
3 “When will this happen?” the disciples asked him later, as he sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. “What events will signal your return and the end of the world?”[a]
4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone fool you. 5 For many will come claiming to be the Messiah and will lead many astray. 6 When you hear of wars beginning, this does not signal my return; these must come, but the end is not yet. 7 The nations and kingdoms of the earth will rise against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many places. 8 But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come.
9 “Then you will be tortured and killed and hated all over the world because you are mine, 10 and many of you shall fall back into sin and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and lead many astray. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere and will cool the love of many. 13 But those enduring to the end shall be saved.
14 “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it, and then, finally, the end will come.
15 “So, when you see the horrible thing[b] (told about by Daniel the prophet) standing in a holy place (Note to the reader: You know what is meant!), 16 then those in Judea must flee into the Judean hills. 17 Those on their porches[c] must not even go inside to pack before they flee. 18 Those in the fields should not return to their homes for their clothes.
19 “And woe to pregnant women and to those with babies in those days. 20 And pray that your flight will not be in winter, or on the Sabbath.[d] 21 For there will be persecution such as the world has never before seen in all its history and will never see again.
22 “In fact, unless those days are shortened, all mankind will perish. But they will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen people.[e]
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘The Messiah has arrived at such and such a place, or has appeared here or there,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false Christs shall arise, and false prophets, and will do wonderful miracles so that if it were possible, even God’s chosen ones[f] would be deceived. 25 See, I have warned you.
26 “So if someone tells you the Messiah has returned and is out in the desert, don’t bother to go and look. Or, that he is hiding at a certain place, don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes across the sky from east to west, so shall my coming be, when I, the Messiah,[g] return. 28 And wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather.
29 “Immediately after the persecution of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give light, and the stars will seem to fall from the heavens,[h] and the powers overshadowing the earth will be convulsed.
30 “And then at last the signal of my coming[i] will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning all around the earth. And the nations of the world will see me arrive in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And I shall send forth my angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they shall gather my chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.[j]
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When her branch is tender and the leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is almost here. 33 Just so, when you see all these things beginning to happen, you can know that my return is near,[k] even at the doors. 34 Then at last this age will come to its close.[l]
35 “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words remain forever. 36 But no one knows the date and hour when the end will be—not even the angels. No, nor even God’s Son.[m] Only the Father knows.
37-38 “The world will be at ease[n] —banquets and parties and weddings—just as it was in Noah’s time before the sudden coming of the Flood; 39 people wouldn’t believe[o] what was going to happen until the Flood actually arrived and took them all away. So shall my coming be.
40 “Two men will be working together in the fields, and one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be going about their household tasks; one will be taken, the other left.
42 “So be prepared, for you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
43 “Just as a man can prevent trouble from thieves by keeping watch for them, 44 so you can avoid trouble by always being ready for my unannounced return.
45 “Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? 46 Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. 47 I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own!
48 “But if you are evil and say to yourself, ‘My Lord won’t be coming for a while,’ 49 and begin oppressing your fellow servants, partying and getting drunk, 50 your Lord will arrive unannounced and unexpected, 51 and severely whip you and send you off to the judgment of the hypocrites; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Footnotes
- Matthew 24:3 world, literally, “age.”
- Matthew 24:15 the horrible thing, literally, “the abomination of desolation.” Daniel, see Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Note to the reader: You know what is meant, literally, “Let the reader take note.”
- Matthew 24:17 porches, literally, “rooftops,” which, being flat, were used as porches at that time. See Acts 10:9.
- Matthew 24:20 on the Sabbath. The city gates were closed on the Sabbath.
- Matthew 24:22 God’s chosen people, literally, “the elect.”
- Matthew 24:24 God’s chosen ones, literally, “the elect.”
- Matthew 24:27 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
- Matthew 24:29 the stars will seem to fall from the heavens, literally, “the stars shall fall from heaven.” the earth will be convulsed, literally, “the powers of the heavens shall be shaken”; see Ephesians 6:12.
- Matthew 24:30 of my coming, literally, “of the coming of the Son of Man.”
- Matthew 24:31 from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven, literally, “from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
- Matthew 24:33 my return is near, literally, “he is nigh.”
- Matthew 24:34 this age will come to its close, literally, “this generation shall pass away.”
- Matthew 24:36 No, nor even God’s Son, literally, “Neither the Son.” Many ancient manuscripts omit this phrase.
- Matthew 24:37 The world will be at ease, implied.
- Matthew 24:39 wouldn’t believe, literally, “knew not.”
Matthew 24
New Catholic Bible
Instructions for the Coming of the Kingdom[a]
Chapter 24
The Time of the End[b]
Jesus Announces the Destruction of the Temple.[c] 1 As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, his disciples came up to him to call his attention to the buildings of the temple. 2 He thereupon said to them, “Do you see all these? Amen, I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another; every one will be thrown down.”
The End Has Not Yet Come.[d] 3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached and spoke to him when they were alone. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Take care that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be alarmed, for those things are bound to happen, but the end is still to come. 7 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are only the beginning of the labor pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be tortured and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 At that time, many will fall away from the faith; they will betray and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will appear and lead many astray, 12 and with the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the entire world as a testimony offered to all the nations. And then the end will come.
15 The Great Trial.[e]“Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, about which the prophet Daniel spoke, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, 17 the one who is standing on the roof must not come down to collect what is in his house, 18 and someone who is in the field must not turn back to retrieve his coat.
19 “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that you will not have to take flight in the winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering that has not been equaled since the beginning of the world until now, and will never again be duplicated. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect they will be shortened.
23 False Messiahs and False Prophets.“Therefore, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There he is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform great signs and wonders that are impressive enough to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
25 “Remember, I have forewarned you about this. 26 So if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there. If they say, ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For just as lightning comes from the east and is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.[f]
29 The Coming of the Son of Man.[g]“Immediately after the distress of those days,
‘the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give forth its light;
the stars will fall from the sky
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send forth his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Be Vigilant in Expectation of the End[h]
32 The Parable of the Fig Tree.[i]“Learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things take place, know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
36 The Day and Hour Unknown.[j]“As for the exact day and hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. 39 They knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and swept them all away.
“That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other will be left. 42 Therefore, keep watch, for you do not know the day when your Lord is coming.
43 The Parable of the Owner of the House.[k]“But keep this in mind: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore, you must also be prepared, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 The Parable of the Faithful Servant.[l]“Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give its members their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant if his master finds him doing so when he returns home. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
48 “But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is detained,’ 49 and he proceeds to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will return on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will punish him and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Footnotes
- Matthew 24:1 Five discourses give the Gospel of Matthew its characteristic structure. Here is the last discourse, which brings together prophecies and parables that speak of the last times of humanity and distinguish its phases. At the center of the scenario is the return of Christ. This great passage is known as the “eschatological discourse,” because it deals with the end, the last times (Greek: eschaton).
- Matthew 24:1 The prophetic sayings about the last “days” abound in descriptions of panic, wars, earthquakes, and cosmic upheavals; these descriptions are called “apocalypses,” that is, “revelations.” They defy the imagination in order better to bring out the greatness of God’s manifestation in the history of humanity (see Isa 13:10-13; Jer 21:9; Ezek 5:12; Am 8:8-9; Joel 2:10; 3:3; 4:17-21). Jesus makes use of this entire scenario in order to warn believers about the trials and conflicts in which their fidelity will be tested, and in order to encourage the missionaries of the Gospel.
- Matthew 24:1 Jesus announces the destruction of the temple, which is the sign of God’s presence among his people. Hence, one must envisage a radical change in the religious life.
- Matthew 24:3 There are many indications of Christ’s coming at the end of the world. However, no one should be mistaken. Neither the explosion of religious movements, nor the confusion of human societies, nor the catastrophes that pervade human history are signs of the end. The believer must stand fast under trials, which may appear to be excessive at times.
- Matthew 24:15 The abomination of desolation: was a pagan idol placed in the midst of the Jerusalem temple (see Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; 1 Mac 1:54). The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is described here in order to convey a lesson about the future.
- Matthew 24:28 A popular proverb cited also in Lk 17:37. In this context it signifies both the uncertain time of the Lord’s coming and his universal presence.
- Matthew 24:29 The coming of the Son of Man is described in the words of the Old Testament (see Isa 13:9-10; 34:4; Am 5:18; Zec 12:10) in order to express the glory and power of God and the confusion of humanity. Christ dead and risen: this is the sign that converts human beings.
- Matthew 24:32 The perspective of the end of the world must keep the community on its guard. But it also concerns each disciple, for it has an effect on the end of each individual too. Let everyone be vigilant and active so as not to find oneself barred from the kingdom.
- Matthew 24:32 This parable is intended to revive the hope of the first Christians, who are under persecution, with the perspective of the proximity of the glorious kingdom, in accord with the schema of the apocalyptic tradition. Indeed, every Christian lives in this expectation, for with Christ the last period of history has begun.
- Matthew 24:36 The early Church is exhorted not to fall into indifference because judgment comes less quickly than expected. The life of humans cannot be exhausted in the gloomy flow of hours and days; it has another horizon: the coming of God, which is unforeseeable but completely certain. It hovers like a threat over the uncaring who seclude themselves in their securities. But it is a power and a source of strength for believers.
- Matthew 24:43 This very brief parable of the owner of the house and the thief reinforces the theme of vigilance, for one does not know when the Son of Man will come.
- Matthew 24:45 Jesus addresses the religious leaders of his time to place them on guard: the time to render accounts has arrived. But the coming of God is still to take place, and the disciples will be tempted to no longer believe in it. The parable of the faithful servant remains a wake-up call for them. The religious leaders and Christians must not neglect to work for the kingdom as if the Master were always present—God is in their midst.
Mateo 24
Ang Pulong Sa Dios
Ang Pagkaguba sa Templo
(Mar. 13:1-2; Luc. 21:5-6)
24 Migawas si Jesus sa templo ug samtang naglakaw siya miduol kaniya ang iyang mga tinun-an ug gitudlo nila kaniya ang templo. 2 Miingon si Jesus kanila, “Tan-awa ninyo kining tanan. Sa pagkatinuod, maguba kini ug wala gayoy bisan usa ka bato nga magpabilin ibabaw sa laing bato.”
Ang mga Kasamok ug mga Paglutos
(Mar. 13:3-13; Luc. 21:7-19)
3 Samtang naglingkod si Jesus didto sa Bukid sa mga Olibo, miduol kaniya ang iyang mga tinun-an nga sila-sila lang. Miingon sila, “Sultihi kami kon kanus-a mahitabo ang imong giingon? Ug unsa ba ang mga timailhan nga ikaw hapit na mobalik dinhi ug nga kataposan na sa kalibotan?”
4 Mitubag si Jesus kanila, “Pagbantay nga walay makapahisalaag kaninyo. 5 Kay daghan ang moabot ug moingon nga sila mao ako, kay moingon sila nga sila mao ang Cristo, ug daghan ang ilang mapahisalaag. 6 Makadungog kamo nga may mga gira nga duol kaninyo ug makabalita kamo nga didto sa layo may gira usab. Apan ayaw kamo kahadlok. Kinahanglan gayod nga mahitabo kini, apan dili pa kini mao ang kataposan. 7 Makiggira ang nasod batok sa laing nasod ug ang gingharian batok sa laing gingharian. Moabot ang mga linog ug kagutom sa nagkalain-laing mga dapit. 8 Kining tanan sinugdanan pa lang sa mga kalisod nga moabot.
9 “Nianang panahona dumtan kamo sa mga tawo tungod kay kamo akong mga tinun-an. Dakpon nila kamo ug itugyan sa mga tawo aron silotan ug ang uban kaninyo patyon. 10 Ug kon moabot na ang mga paglutos, daghan ang motalikod sa ilang pagtuo. Dumtan nila ug luiban ang ilang isigka-tumutuo. 11 Motungha ang mga mini nga propeta ug daghan ang ilang mapahisalaag. 12 Ug tungod sa pagdaghan sa kadaotan, mobugnaw ang gugma sa kadaghanan sa mga tumutuo. 13 Apan ang magpadayon sa pagsunod kanako hangtod sa kataposan mao ang maluwas. 14 Ug sa dili pa moabot ang kataposan, iwali ngadto sa tibuok kalibotan ang Maayong Balita mahitungod sa paghari sa Dios aron mahibalo ang tanan nga katawhan.”
Ang Makalilisang nga Talan-awon
(Mar. 13:14-23; Luc. 21:20-24)
15 “Ang propeta nga si Daniel nagtagna bahin sa makalilisang nga talan-awon. (Alang sa magbabasa: sabta ang kahulogan niini.) Ug kon makita ninyo kini nga anaa na sa balaan nga dapit, 16 kamo nga anaa sa Judea kinahanglan mokalagiw ngadto sa kabukiran. 17 Ang tawo nga maabtan diha sa gawas sa iyang balay kinahanglan nga dili na mosulod pa aron sa pagkuha sa iyang mga kabtangan. 18 Ang atua didto sa uma kinahanglan nga dili na mopauli pa aron sa pagkuha sa iyang bisti. 19 Alaot ang mga mabdos ug ang mga inahan nga nagapasuso nianang mga adlawa tungod kay maglisod sila sa pagkagiw. 20 Pag-ampo kamo nga ang inyong pagkagiw dili mahitabo sa tingtugnaw o sa Adlaw nga Igpapahulay. 21 Kay nianang panahona moabot ang labing pait nga pag-antos nga wala pa mahitabo sukad sa sinugdan sa kalibotan, ug dili na mahitabo pag-usab ang sama niini bisan kanus-a. 22 Kon kadtong mga adlawa wala kunhori sa Dios, wala gayoy mahibilin nga tawo. Apan tungod sa iyang kalooy sa iyang mga pinili, kunhoran sa Dios kadtong mga adlawa.
23 “Busa kon dunay moingon kaninyo, ‘Ania na ang Cristo!’ o kaha ‘Atua siya!’ ayaw kamo pagtuo. 24 Kay motungha ang dili tinuod nga mga Cristo ug ang mini nga mga propeta. Mohimo silag mga milagro ug kahibulongan nga mga buhat sa katuyoan nga mapahisalaag, kon mahimo, bisan pa ang mga pinili sa Dios. 25 Timan-i nga gipasidan-an ko na kamong daan mahitungod niining mga panghitaboa.
26 “Busa kon dunay mga tawo nga moingon kaninyo, ‘Si Cristo atua sa kamingawan,’ ayaw kamo pag-adto. Ug kon dunay moingon, ‘Anaa siya sa sulod,’[a] ayaw gayod kamo pagtuo. 27 Kay kon ako nga Anak sa Tawo mobalik na, makakita ang tanan tungod kay mahisama kini sa kilat nga kon mokilab makita gikan sa sidlakan hangtod sa kasadpan.
28 “May panultihon nga nagaingon, ‘Kon asa ang patayng lawas, atua magtigom ang mga uwak.’
Ang Pagbalik ni Jesus sa Kalibotan
(Mar. 13:24-27; Luc. 21:25-28)
29 “Pagkahuman sa mga kasakitan nianang panahona, mawad-an ug kahayag ang adlaw, ang bulan dili na modan-ag, ug ang mga bitoon mangahulog. Ang mga butang[b] sa kalangitan pahisalaagon gikan sa ilang naandan nga agianan. 30 Unya ako nga Anak sa Tawo makita nga nagabalik sa kalibotan gikan sa langit. Ug ang tanang mga tawo dinhi sa kalibotan manghilak kon makita nila ako diha sa mga panganod nga moanhi uban sa gahom ug dakong himaya. 31 Sa makusog nga tingog sa trumpeta sugoon ko ang akong mga anghel sa pagtigom sa akong mga pinili gikan sa tanang dapit sa kalibotan.”
Ang Pagtulon-an bahin sa Kahoy nga Igos
(Mar. 13:28-31; Luc. 21:29-33)
32 “Kuhai ninyo ug pagtulon-an ang mahitungod sa kahoy nga igos. Kon ang iyang mga sanga manalingsing na, timailhan kini ninyo nga hapit na ang ting-init. 33 Sa ingon usab nga pamaagi, kon makita ninyo nga nahitabo na ang tanan niining akong gisulti kaninyo, mahibaloan ninyo nga hapit na ako moabot. 34 Sa pagkatinuod, matuman kining tanan sa dili pa mamatay ang mga tawo niining panahona. 35 Mawala ang langit ug ang yuta, apan ang akong mga pulong dili mawala kondili matuman gayod.”
Walay Nahibalo kon Kanus-a gayod Mobalik si Jesus
(Mar. 13:32-37; Luc. 17:26-30, 34-36)
36 “Wala gayoy nasayod mahitungod sa adlaw ug oras sa akong pag-abot, bisan ang mga anghel sa langit o ako nga Anak sa Dios, gawas lang sa Amahan. 37 Ang buhaton sa mga tawo sa panahon nga ako nga Anak sa Tawo mobalik, mahisama sa gibuhat sa mga tawo sa panahon ni Noe. 38 Kay sa wala pa molunop wala silay laing gibuhat kondili ang pagpalabig kaon, inom, ug pagminyoay hangtod sa adlaw nga si Noe misulod sa arka. 39 Wala gayod sila masayod kon unsa ang mahitabo hangtod nga milunop ug nalumos silang tanan. Ingon usab niini ang mahitabo kon ako nga Anak sa Tawo moabot na. 40 Nianang mga adlawa posible nga mahitabo nga dunay duha ka lalaki nga maabtan nga nagatrabaho sa uma; ang usa kuhaon ug ang usa mabilin. 41 Ug posible usab nga may duha ka babaye nga maggaling; ang usa kuhaon ug ang usa mabilin. 42 Busa pagbantay kamo, kay wala kamo mahibalo kon kanus-a moabot ang inyong Ginoo. 43 Timan-i ninyo kini: kon nahibalo ang tagbalay kon unsang orasa sa gabii moabot ang kawatan, sigurado nga magbantay siya aron dili makasulod sa iyang balay ang kawatan. 44 Busa mangandam gayod kamo, kay sa oras nga wala ninyo damha, moabot ako nga Anak sa Tawo.”
Ang Sulugoon nga Kasaligan
(Luc. 12:41-48)
45 “Ang kasaligan ug maalamon nga sulugoon mao ang gipiyalan sa agalon nga magdumala sa kauban niyang mga sulugoon. Siya ang maghatag kanila sa ilang pagkaon sa husto nga oras. 46 Bulahan kadtong sulugoon nga sa pagbalik sa iyang agalon maabtan nga nagahimo sa iyang buluhaton. 47 Sigurado gayod nga padumalahon siya sa tanang butang sa iyang agalon. 48 Apan alaot ang dili maayo nga sulugoon nga sa paggikan sa iyang agalon maghunahuna nga dugay pa kining mobalik, 49 busa magsugod siya sa pagdagmal sa iyang kauban nga mga sulugoon ug mouban ug kaon ug inom sa mga palahubog. 50 Moabot ang iyang agalon sa oras nga wala gayod niya damha, 51 ug labihan kabug-at ang silot nga iyang madawat.[c] Iipon siya sa mga tigpakaaron-ingnon. Didto mohilak siya ug magkagot ang iyang mga ngipon.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Ang Pulong Sa Dios (Cebuano New Testament) Copyright © 1988, 2001 by International Bible Society® Used by Permission. All rights reserved worldwide.