²⁷ For as lightning^(A) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming^(B) of the Son of Man.^{(C) 28} Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.^(D)

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^[b] will mourn^(F) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,^(G) with power and great glory.^{[c] 31} And he will send his angels^(H) with a loud trumpet call,^(I) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,^(A) until now—and never to be equaled again.^(B)

²⁰ “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.^{(C) 22} For false messiahs and false prophets^(D) will appear and perform signs and wonders^(E) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard;^(F) I have told you everything ahead of time.

²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress,

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(H) with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(I)

²⁴ For the Son of Man in his day^[a] will be like the lightning,^(A) which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things^(B) and be rejected^(C) by this generation.^(D)

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah,^(E) so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot.^(F) People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.^{(G) 31} On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.^{(H) 32} Remember Lot’s wife!^{(I) 33} Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.^{(J) 34} I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”^{(K) [36] [b]}

³⁷ “Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”^(L)

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,^(A) you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.^{(B) 22} For this is the time of punishment^(C) in fulfillment^(D) of all that has been written. ²³ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled^(E) on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁵ “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.^{(F) 26} People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.^{(G) 27} At that time they will see the Son of Man^(H) coming in a cloud^(I) with power and great glory. ²⁸ When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”^(J)