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)

²⁰ The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?”

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

13 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” ² Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”^(A)

³ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,^{(B) 4} “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵ Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.^{(C) 6} Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’^[a] and they will lead many astray.^{(D) 7} When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Persecution Foretold

⁹ “As for yourselves, beware, for they will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them.^{(E) 10} And the good news^[b] must first be proclaimed to all nations. ¹¹ When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit.^{(F) 12} Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,^{(G) 13} and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^(H)

The Desolating Sacrilege

¹⁴ “But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains;^{(I) 15} the one on the housetop must not go down or enter to take anything from the house; ¹⁶ the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. ¹⁷ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days!^{(J) 18} Pray that it may not be in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now and never will be.^{(K) 20} And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. ²¹ And if anyone says to you at that time, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’^[c] or ‘Look! There he is!’—do not believe it.^{(L) 22} False messiahs^[d] and false prophets will appear and produce signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.^{(M) 23} But be alert; I have already told you everything.^(N)

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁴ “But in those days, after that suffering,

²⁶ “Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.^{(P) 27} Then he will send out the angels and gather the^[e] elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁸ “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he^[f] is near, at the very gates. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.^{(Q) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.^(R)

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.^{(S) 33} Beware, keep alert,^[g] for you do not know when the time will come.^{(T) 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.^{(U) 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,^{(V) 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.”

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

24 As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.^{(A) 2} Then he asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”^(B)

Signs of the End of the Age

³ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.^{(C) 5} For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’^[a] and they will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines^[b] and earthquakes in various places:^{(D) 8} all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Persecutions Foretold

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.^{(E) 10} Then many will fall away,^[c] and they will betray one another and hate one another.^{(F) 11} And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.^{(G) 12} And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved.^{(H) 14} And this good news^[d] of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.^(I)

The Desolating Sacrilege

¹⁵ “So when you see the desolating sacrilege, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),^{(J) 16} then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; ¹⁷ the one on the housetop must not go down to take things from the house; ¹⁸ the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. ¹⁹ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.^{(K) 22} And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.^{(L) 23} Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’^[e] or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it.^{(M) 24} For false messiahs^[f] and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.^{(N) 25} Take note, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^{(O) 28} Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹ “Immediately after the suffering of those days

³⁰ “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory.^{(Q) 31} And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.^(R)

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

³² “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So also, when you see all these things, you know that he^[g] is near, at the very gates. ³⁴ Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.^{(S) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.^(T)

The Necessity for Watchfulness

³⁶ “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,^[h] but only the Father. ³⁷ For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^{(U) 38} For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so, too, will be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Then two will be in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.^{(V) 41} Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken, and one will be left. ⁴² Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day^[i] your Lord is coming.^{(W) 43} But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.^{(X) 44} Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(Y)

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave

⁴⁵ “Who, then, is the faithful and wise slave whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves^[j] their allowance of food at the proper time?^{(Z) 46} Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.^{(AA) 47} Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.^{(AB) 48} But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. ⁵¹ He will cut him in pieces^[k] and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(AC)