Lamentations 3:17-26

New International Version

¹⁷I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
¹⁸So I say, “My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”^(A)

¹⁹I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness^(B) and the gall.^(C)
²⁰I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast^(D) within me.^(E)
²¹Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²²Because of the Lord’s great love^(F) we are not consumed,^(G)
    for his compassions never fail.^(H)
²³They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.^(I)
²⁴I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;^(J)
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;^(K)
²⁶it is good to wait quietly^(L)
for the salvation of the Lord.^(M)

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Matthew 24:1-8

New International Version

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times^(A)

24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ²“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another;^(B) every one will be thrown down.”

³As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,^(C) the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming^(D) and of the end of the age?”^(E)

⁴Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^(F) ⁵For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.^(G) ⁶You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^(H) There will be famines^(I) and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of birth pains.