⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other. ⁶ One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, “How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?”^{(A) 7} The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, two times, and half a time^[a] and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be accomplished.^{(B) 8} I heard but could not understand, so I said, “My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” ⁹ He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end.

The Coming of the Lord

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died,^[a] so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.^{[b](A) 15} For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.^{[c] 16} For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(B) 17} Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.^{(C) 18} Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Necessity for Watchfulness

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(A) 33} Beware, keep alert,^[a] for you do not know when the time will come.^{(B) 34} It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.^{(C) 35} Therefore, keep awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight or at cockcrow or at dawn,^{(D) 36} or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”