Matthew 24

The Temple Will Be Destroyed

1 As Jesus left the Temple and was walking away, his followers came up to show him the Temple’s buildings.

2 Jesus asked, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground.”

3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his followers came to be alone with him. They said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that it is time for you to come again and for this age to end?”
4 Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one fools you. 5 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will fool many people. 6 You will hear about wars and stories of wars that are coming, but don’t be afraid. These things must happen before the end comes. 7 Nations will fight against other nations; kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms. There will be times when there is no food for people to eat, and there will be earthquakes in different places.

8 These things are like the first pains when something new is about to be born.
9 “Then people will arrest you, hand you over to be hurt, and kill you. They will hate you because you believe in me. 10 At that time, many will lose their faith, and they will turn against each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will come and cause many people to believe lies. 12 There will be more and more evil in the world, so most people will stop showing their love for each other. 13 But those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved.

14 The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.
15 “Daniel the prophet spoke about ‘a blasphemous object that brings destruction.’ 16 “At that time, the people in Judea should run away to the mountains. 17 If people are on the roofs 18 If people are in the fields, they must not go back to get their coats. 19 At that time, how terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! 20 Pray that it will not be winter or a Sabbath day when these things happen and you have to run away, 21 because at that time there will be much trouble. There will be more trouble than there has ever been since the beginning of the world until now, and nothing as bad will ever happen again. 22 God has decided to make that terrible time short. Otherwise, no one would go on living. But God will make that time short to help the people he has chosen. 23 At that time, someone might say to you, ‘Look, there is the Christ!’ Or another person might say, ‘There he is!’ But don’t believe them. 24 False Christs and false prophets will come and perform great wonders and miracles. They will try to fool even the people God has chosen, if that is possible.

25 Now I have warned you about this before it happens.
26 “If people tell you, ‘The Christ is in the desert,’ don’t go there. If they say, ‘The Christ is in the inner room,’ don’t believe it. 27 When the Son of Man comes, he will be seen by everyone, like lightning flashing from the east to the west.

28 Wherever the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Soon after the trouble of those days,
‘the sun will grow dark, and the moon will not give its light.
The stars will fall from the sky. And the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ t; t
30 “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the peoples of the world will cry. They will see the Son of Man coming on clouds in the sky with great power and glory.

31 He will use a loud trumpet to send his angels all around the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from every part of the world.
32 “Learn a lesson from the fig tree: When its branches become green and soft and new leaves appear, you know summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to come. 34 I tell you the truth, all these things will happen while the people of this time are still living.

35 Earth and sky will be destroyed, but the words I have said will never be destroyed.

When Will Jesus Come Again?

36 “No one knows when that day or time will be, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son. 37 When the Son of Man comes, it will be like 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, until the day Noah entered the boat. 39 They knew nothing about what was happening until the flood came and destroyed them. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes. 40 Two men will be in the field. One will be taken, and the other will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding grain with a mill. 42 “So always be ready, because you don’t know the day your Lord will come. 43 Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time of night a thief was coming, the owner would watch and not let the thief break in.

44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time you don’t expect him.
45 “Who is the wise and loyal servant that the master trusts to give the other servants their food at the right time? 46 When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns. 48 But suppose that evil servant thinks to himself, ‘My master will not come back soon,’ 49 and he begins to beat the other servants and eat and get drunk with others like him? 50 The master will come when that servant is not ready and is not expecting him. 51 Then the master will cut him in pieces and send him away to be with the hypocrites, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.

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.