The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹ “Immediately after ^(A)the tribulation of those days ^(B)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and ^(C)the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then ^(D)will appear in heaven ^(E)the sign of the Son of Man, and then ^(F)all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and ^(G)they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven ^(H)with power and great glory. ³¹ And ^(I)he will send out his angels with a loud ^(J)trumpet call, and they will ^(K)gather ^(L)his elect from ^(M)the four winds, ^(N)from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

³² “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, ^(O)at the very gates. ^34 (P)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ^35 (Q)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(R)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

³⁶ “But concerning that day and hour ^(S)no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, ^(T)nor the Son,^{[a] (U)}but the Father only. ^37 (V)For as were the days of Noah, ^(W)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ^38 (X)For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, ^(Y)marrying and giving in marriage, until ^(Z)the day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, ^(AA)so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

^13 (A)Watch therefore, for you ^(B)know neither the day nor the hour.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁸ “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, ^(A)at the very gates. ^30 (B)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ^31 (C)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(D)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day or Hour

³² “But concerning that day or that hour, ^(E)no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, ^(F)nor the Son, ^(G)but only the Father. ^33 (H)Be on guard, ^(I)keep awake.^[a] For you do not know when the time will come. ^34 (J)It is like a man ^(K)going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants^[b] in charge, ^(L)each with his work, and commands ^(M)the doorkeeper to stay awake. ^35 (N)Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, ^(O)in the evening, or ^(P)at midnight, or ^(Q)when the rooster crows,^[c] or ^(R)in the morning— ³⁶ lest ^(S)he come suddenly and ^(T)find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all: ^(U)Stay awake.”

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning ^(A)the times and the seasons, brothers,^{[a] (B)}you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that ^(C)the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then ^(D)sudden destruction will come upon them ^(E)as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you ^(F)are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all ^(G)children^[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then ^(H)let us not sleep, as others do, but let us ^(I)keep awake and ^(J)be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, ^(K)are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, ^(L)having put on the breastplate of ^(M)faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for ^(N)wrath, but ^(O)to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^10 (P)who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.