The Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look what impressive stones these are, and what impressive buildings!”

² Jesus said to him, “Do you see these large buildings? There will not be one stone here left on top of another. They will all be thrown down.”

³ As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be fulfilled?”

⁵ Jesus began by telling them, “Be careful that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.

⁷ “Whenever you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled. Such things must happen, but the end is not yet. ⁸ In fact, nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. ⁹ But be on your guard! People will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand in the presence of rulers and kings for my sake as a witness to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ Whenever they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what you should say. Say whatever is given to you in that hour, because you will not be the ones speaking; instead it will be the Holy Spirit.

¹² “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father, his child. Children will rise up against their parents and put them to death. ¹³ You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ When you see the abomination that causes desolation^[a] standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ The one who is on the housetop should not go down or enter to take anything out of his house. ¹⁶ The one who is in the field should not return to get his clothes. ¹⁷ How terrible it will be for those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that this will not happen in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be distress of such a kind as has not happened from the beginning of the creation until now, and surely never will be again. ²⁰ If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened the days. ²¹ Then if someone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false Christs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if it were possible. ²³ So be on your guard. I have told you everything in advance.

²⁴ “But after that distress in those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. ²⁵ The stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory.^{[b] 27} At that time he will send out his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of the sky.

²⁸ “Learn from this illustration of the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also when you see these things happening, you will know that he is near—at the doors! ³⁰ Amen I tell you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Watch! Be Alert!

³² “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Watch! Be alert and pray, because you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴ It is like a man going away on a journey. When he left his home, he put his servants in charge and assigned what each one was to do. He also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. ³⁵ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the owner of the house is coming: whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or early in the morning. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”