Matthew 24:32-25:13

Easy-to-Read Version

³² “The fig tree teaches us a lesson: When its branches become green and soft, and new leaves begin to grow, then you know that summer is very near. ³³ In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time^[a] is very near, already present. ³⁴ I assure you that all these things will happen while some of the people of this time are still living. ³⁵ The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed, but my words will last forever.

Only God Knows When the Time Will Be^(A)

³⁶ “No one knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don’t know when it will be. Only the Father knows.

³⁷ “When the Son of Man comes, it will be the same as what happened during Noah’s time. ³⁸ In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving their children to be married right up to the day Noah entered the boat. ³⁹ They knew nothing about what was happening until the flood came and destroyed them all.

“It will be the same when the Son of Man comes. ⁴⁰ Two men will be working together in the field. One will be taken and the other will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a mill. One will be taken and the other will be left.

⁴² “So always be ready. You don’t know the day your Lord will come. ⁴³ What would a homeowner do if he knew when a thief was coming? You know he would be ready and not let the thief break in. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at a time when you don’t expect him.

Good Servants and Bad Servants^(B)

⁴⁵ “Who is the wise and trusted servant? The master trusts one servant to give the other servants their food at the right time. Who is the one the master trusts to do that work? ⁴⁶ When the master comes and finds that servant doing the work he gave him, it will be a day of blessing for that servant. ⁴⁷ I can tell you without a doubt, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns.

⁴⁸ “But what will happen if that servant is evil and thinks his master will not come back soon? ⁴⁹ He will begin to beat the other servants. He will eat and drink with others who are drunk. ⁵⁰ Then the master will come when the servant is not ready, at a time when the servant is not expecting him. ⁵¹ Then the master will punish that servant. He will send him away to be with the hypocrites, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.

A Story About Ten Girls

25 “At that time God’s kingdom will be like ten girls who went to wait for the bridegroom. They took their lamps with them. ² Five of the girls were foolish, and five were wise. ³ The foolish girls took their lamps with them, but they did not take extra oil for the lamps. ⁴ The wise girls took their lamps and more oil in jars. ⁵ When the bridegroom was very late, the girls could not keep their eyes open, and they all fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight someone announced, ‘The bridegroom is coming! Come and meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the girls woke up. They made their lamps ready. ⁸ But the foolish girls said to the wise girls, ‘Give us some of your oil. The oil in our lamps is all gone.’

⁹ “The wise girls answered, ‘No! The oil we have might not be enough for all of us. But go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “So the foolish girls went to buy oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came. The girls who were ready went in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Then the door was closed and locked.

¹¹ “Later, the other girls came. They said, ‘Sir, sir! Open the door to let us in.’

¹² “But the bridegroom answered, ‘Certainly not! I don’t even know you.’

¹³ “So always be ready. You don’t know the day or the time when the Son of Man will come.