The Glorious New Creation

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said,^{(A) 6} “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”^(B)

Signs and Persecutions

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’^[a] and, ‘The time is near!’^[b] Do not go after them.^(C)

⁹ “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom;^{(D) 11} there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.^{(E) 13} This will give you an opportunity to testify.^{(F) 14} So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance,^{(G) 15} for I will give you words^[c] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.^{(H) 16} You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.^{(I) 17} You will be hated by all because of my name.^{(J) 18} But not a hair of your head will perish.^{(K) 19} By your endurance you will gain your souls.^(L)