Saying 19

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times^(A)(B)

⁵ Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ⁶ “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another;^(C) every one of them will be thrown down.”

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸ He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.^{(D) 9} When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^{(E) 11} There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.^(F)

¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me.^{(G) 14} But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.^{(H) 15} For I will give you^(I) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends,^(J) and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me.^{(K) 18} But not a hair of your head will perish.^{(L) 19} Stand firm, and you will win life.^(M)

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,^(N) 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.^{(O) 22} For this is the time of punishment^(P) in fulfillment^(Q) 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^(R) 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.^{(S) 26} People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.^{(T) 27} At that time they will see the Son of Man^(U) coming in a cloud^(V) 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.”^(W)

¹⁶ In the case of a will,^[a] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^{(A) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(B) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(C) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(D) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[b](E) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(F) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(G)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(H) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(I) he entered heaven itself,^(J) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(K) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(L) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(M) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(N) But he has appeared^(O) once for all^(P) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(Q) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(R) and after that to face judgment,^{(S) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(T) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(U) not to bear sin,^(V) but to bring salvation^(W) to those who are waiting for him.^(X)