Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
15 `Daniel the prophet said that people would put something very bad in the temple.' (Let the one who reads this understand it.)
16 `When that happens, the people in Judea must go quickly to the hills.
17 A person who is on the top of a house must not go down into the house to get things from the house.
18 A person who is working in the fields must not go back home to get his coat.
19 In those days it will be very hard for women who are to have a child. It will be very hard for mothers who have a baby.
20 Ask God that you may not have to go in the cold time of the year or on the Sabbath day.
21 The trouble then will be bigger than any other trouble since God made the world. And there never will be any trouble as big as that.
22 No person would be saved if the Lord did not cut the time of trouble shorter. He will cut it shorter for the sake of his chosen people.
23 `If anyone says to you then, "Look, here is the Christ!" or "There he is!" do not believe it.
24 People will come and say they are the Christ. People will come and say they are prophets. But they are not true. They will show big signs and do wonderful things to fool people. They will fool God's chosen people if they can.
25 Watch! I have told you these things before they happen.
26 So if people say to you, "He is in the wilderness," do not go there. If they say, "He is hiding somewhere," do not believe it.
27 When lightning shines in the east, it can be seen in the west. It will be like that when the Son of Man comes.
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