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.”

³ As 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)

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^{(F) 5} For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.^{(G) 6} You 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. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^(H) There will be famines^(I) and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted^(J) and put to death,^(K) and you will be hated by all nations because of me.^{(L) 10} At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets^(M) will appear and deceive many people.^{(N) 12} Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{(O) 14} And this gospel of the kingdom^(P) will be preached in the whole world^(Q) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place^(R) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^[a](S) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the housetop^(T) go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^{(U) 20} Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.^(V)

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect^(W) those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.^{(X) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders^(Y) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning^(Z) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming^(AA) of the Son of Man.^{(AB) 28} Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.^(AC)

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth^[c] will mourn^(AE) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,^(AF) with power and great glory.^{[d] 31} And he will send his angels^(AG) with a loud trumpet call,^(AH) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it^[e] is near, right at the door.^{(AI) 34} Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(AJ) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(AK)

The Day and Hour Unknown^(AL)(AM)

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[f] but only the Father.^{(AN) 37} As it was in the days of Noah,^(AO) so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,^(AP) up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.^{(AQ) 40} Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.^{(AR) 41} Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.^(AS)

⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.^{(AT) 43} But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming,^(AU) he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready,^(AV) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant,^(AW) whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.^{(AX) 47} Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.^{(AY) 48} But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.^{(AZ) 50} The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(BA)

The Ten Commandments^(A)

20 And God spoke^(B) all these words:^(C)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(AE) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(AF) they trembled with fear.^(AG) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(AH) to us or we will die.”^(AI)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(AJ) God has come to test^(AK) you, so that the fear^(AL) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(AM)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(AN) where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(AO) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(AP) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(AQ)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(AR) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(AS) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(AT) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(AU) you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool^(AV) on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts^(AW) may be exposed.’

21 “These are the laws^(AX) you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants^(AY)(AZ)

² “If you buy a Hebrew servant,^(BA) he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free,^(BB) without paying anything. ³ If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

⁵ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’^{(BC) 6} then his master must take him before the judges.^[b](BD) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(BE) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(BF)

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself,^[c] he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. ⁹ If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.^{(BG) 11} If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

¹² “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.^{(BH) 13} However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place^(BI) I will designate. ¹⁴ But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,^(BJ) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.^(BK)

¹⁵ “Anyone who attacks^[d] their father or mother is to be put to death.

¹⁶ “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,^(BL) whether the victim has been sold^(BM) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

¹⁷ “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.^(BN)

¹⁸ “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist^[e] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹ the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

²⁰ “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, ²¹ but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.^(BO)

²² “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely^[f] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands^(BP) and the court allows. ²³ But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,^{(BQ) 24} eye for eye, tooth for tooth,^(BR) hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. ²⁷ And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

²⁸ “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,^(BS) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. ²⁹ If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up^(BT) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. ³⁰ However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.^{(BU) 31} This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. ³² If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels^[g](BV) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

³³ “If anyone uncovers a pit^(BW) or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

³⁵ “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. ³⁶ However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,^(BX) the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

Protection of Property

22 ^[h]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back^(BY) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in^(BZ) at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;^{(CA) 3} but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,^(CB) but if they have nothing, they must be sold^(CC) to pay for their theft. ⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession^(CD)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.^(CE)

⁵ “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution^(CF) from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks^(CG) of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.^(CH)

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping^(CI) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.^{(CJ) 8} But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(CK) and they must^[i] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[j](CL) The one whom the judges declare^[k] guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰ “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping^(CM) and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath^(CN) before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹² But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution^(CO) must be made to the owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.^(CP)

¹⁴ “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.^{(CQ) 15} But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.^(CR)

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin^(CS) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,^(CT) and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress^(CU) to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal^(CV) is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god^(CW) other than the Lord must be destroyed.^[l](CX)

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(CY) for you were foreigners^(CZ) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(DA) 23} If you do and they cry out^(DB) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(DC) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(DD)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(DE) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(DF) return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?^(DG) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.^(DH)

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God^[m](DI) or curse^(DJ) the ruler of your people.^(DK)

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings^(DL) from your granaries or your vats.^[n]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.^{(DM) 30} Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.^(DN) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.^(DO)

³¹ “You are to be my holy people.^(DP) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;^(DQ) throw it to the dogs.