⁴ Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives^(A) you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.^{(B) 6} You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines^[a](C) and earthquakes in various places.^{(D) 8} All these events are the beginning of labor pains.^(E)

Persecutions Predicted

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.^{(F) 10} Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets^(G) will rise up and deceive many. ¹² Because lawlessness^(H) will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world^[b] as a testimony to all nations,^(I) and then the end will come.^(J)

The Great Tribulation

¹⁵ “So when you see the abomination of desolation,^[c] spoken of by the prophet Daniel,^(K) standing in the holy place”^(L) (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ A man on the housetop^[d] must not come down to get things out of his house,^{(M) 18} and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. ¹⁹ Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For at that time there will be great distress,^[e](N) the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. ²² Unless those days were cut short, no one would^[f] be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.^(O)

²³ “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’^(P) or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it.^{(Q) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,^(R) if possible, even the elect.

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³⁶ “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son^[a] —except the Father alone.^{(A) 37} As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. ³⁸ For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.^{(B) 39} They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left.^{(C) 42} Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[b] your Lord is coming.^{(D) 43} But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[c] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.^{(E) 44} This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(F)