Matthew

Jesus left the temple, and as he was walking away, his disciples came up to him and pointed out the impressive temple buildings.

But he said:

“You see all this? Truly I tell you: not a single stone will be left on another here. All will be torn down.”

Later, when Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and asked:

“Tell us when this will take place. What sign will be given us of your coming, and the end of the world?”

Jesus answered:

“Be on your guard; and let no one mislead you.

Many will come in my name, claiming: ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many people.

You will hear about wars and rumors of wars; but do not be troubled, for these things must happen; the end is still ahead.

Nations will clash, and kingdoms will oppose one another. There will be famine and earthquakes in various places;

but all this is just the start—the initial pains of childbirth.

Then, they will arrest you; they will torture and kill you. All nations will hate you because you bear my name.

During that time, many will fall into sin; they will betray and hate each other.

False prophets will appear and deceive many;

and because of such great wickedness, love in many people will grow cold.

But those who persevere until the end will be saved.

The good news of the kingdom will be preached worldwide to all nations as a testimony to every people. Then the end will come.

The Great Tribulation

When you see what the prophet Daniel spoke about—the idol of the invader set up in the temple (let the reader understand!),

then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.

If you’re on the roof, don’t come down to grab anything.

If you’re in the field, don’t go back to get your coat.

How difficult it will be for pregnant women and mothers with breastfeeding babies!

Pray that you won’t have to flee during winter or on a Sabbath.

For there will be great suffering, such as has never been seen from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be again.

And if that time were not shortened, no one would survive. But God will shorten those days for the sake of His chosen ones.

Then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look! The Messiah is here! He is there!’, do not believe it.

For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders so great that they could deceive even God’s chosen people if that were possible.

See, I have told you everything beforehand.

So, if anyone tells you, ‘He is in the desert,’ do not go. If they say, ‘He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that flashes from the east to the west.

Wherever there is a body, vultures will gather.)

And later, after that distress, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not shine, the stars will fall from the sky, and the entire universe will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. As all the nations of the earth beat their breasts, they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with divine power and great glory.

He will send his angels to sound the trumpet; and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the earth to the other.

Learn a lesson from the fig tree: when its branches become tender and its leaves start to sprout, you know summer is near.

Similarly, when you see all these things, know that the time is near, even at the door.

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.

Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words will never pass away.

But, as for that Day and that Hour, no one knows when it will happen, not even the angels of God, nor the Son, but only the Father.

When the Son of Man comes, it will be just like it was in Noah’s time.

In those days before the Flood, people were eating, drinking, and marrying, until that day when Noah went into the ark.

Yet, they did not know what would happen until the flood came and swept them away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man:

of two men in the field, one will be taken and the other left;

of two women grinding wheat together at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.

Stay alert, because you don’t know what day your Lord will return.

Obviously, if the homeowner knew when the thief was coming, he would definitely stay awake and prevent his house from being broken into.

Stay alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.

Imagine a trustworthy and prudent servant, whom his master has entrusted with managing his household, to provide them with food at the right time.

Fortunate, indeed, is the servant whom his master will find working when he arrives.

Truly, I tell you, his master will entrust him with everything he has.

It’s not the same with the lazy servant who thinks, ‘My master is delayed.’

And he begins to mistreat his fellow servants while eating and drinking with drunkards.

But his master will come on a day he doesn’t know and at an hour he least expects.

He will severely punish that servant and assign him to the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.