Matthew 24

Jesus Teaches His Disciples on the Mount of Olives—Mark 13:1–31; Luke 21:5–33

1 As Jesus left the temple courtyard and was walking away, his disciples came to him. They proudly pointed out to him the temple buildings.

2 Jesus said to them, “You see all these buildings, don’t you? I can guarantee this truth: Not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign that you are coming again, and when will the world come to an end?”4 Jesus answered them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you.

5 Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many people.
6 “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Don’t be alarmed! These things must happen, but they don’t mean that the end has come.7 Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All of these are only the beginning pains of the end.
9 “Then they will hand you over to those who will torture and kill you. All nations will hate you because you are committed to me.10 Then many will lose faith. They will betray and hate each other.11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.12 And because there will be more and more lawlessness, most people’s love will grow cold.

13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved.
14 “This Good News about the kingdom will be spread throughout the world as a testimony to all nations. Then the end will come.15 “The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. When you see this (let the reader take note),16 those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains.17 Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses.

18 Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.
19 “How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days.20 Pray that it will not be winter or a day of worship when you flee.21 There will be a lot of misery at that time, a kind of misery that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and will certainly never happen again.

22 If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
23 “At that time don’t believe anyone who tells you, ‘Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’24 False christs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen.25 Listen! I’ve told you this before it happens.26 So if someone tells you, ‘He’s in the desert!’ don’t go out looking for him. And don’t believe anyone who says, ‘He’s in a secret place!’27 The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west.

28 Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.
29 “Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the people on earth will cry in agony when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in the sky with power and great glory.

31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.
32 “Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.

33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the door.
34 “I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place.

35 The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

No One Knows When the Son of Man Will Return

36 “No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows.37 “When the Son of Man comes again, it will be exactly like the days of Noah.38 In the days before the flood, people were eating, drinking, and getting married until the day that Noah went into the ship.

39 They were not aware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again.
40 “At that time two men will be working in the field. One will be taken, and the other one will be left.

41 Two women will be working at a mill. One will be taken, and the other one will be left.
42 “Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know on what day your Lord will return.43 You realize that if a homeowner had known at what time of the night a thief was coming, he would have stayed awake. He would not have let the thief break into his house.

44 Therefore, you, too, must be ready because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him.
45 “Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? The master will put that person in charge of giving the other servants their food at the right time.46 That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes.47 I can guarantee this truth: He will put that servant in charge of all his property.48 On the other hand, that servant, if he is wicked, may think that it will be a long time before his master comes.49 The servant may begin to beat the other servants and eat and drink with the drunks.50 His master will return unexpectedly.

51 Then his master will severely punish him and assign him a place with the hypocrites. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.

Matthew 24

1 And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.2 But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places.8 But all these things are the beginning of travail.9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name’s sake.10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.

15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand),16 then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains:17 let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house:18 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak.19 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!20 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath:21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.22 And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not.27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.28 Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

32 Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;33 even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.36 But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.37 And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man.38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,39 and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.40 Then shall two man be in the field; one is taken, and one is left:41 two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.44 Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season?46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.47 Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath.48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth;49 and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken;50 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not,51 and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.