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Jesus Teaches His Disciples on the Mount of Olives(A)

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

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?”

Jesus answered them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many people.

“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. Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All of these are only the beginning pains ⌞of the end⌟.

“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 rest—a holy day, 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 messiahs 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.

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Jesus Teaches His Disciples(A)

Some ⌞of the disciples⌟ were talking about the temple complex. They noted that it was built with fine stones and decorated with beautiful gifts. So Jesus said, “About these buildings that you see—the time will come when not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”

The disciples asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will occur?”

Jesus said, “Be careful that you are not deceived. Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is near.’ Don’t follow them!

“When you hear of wars and revolutions, don’t be terrified! These things must happen first, but the end will not come immediately.”

10 Then Jesus continued, “Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in various places. Terrifying sights and miraculous signs will come from the sky.

12 “Before all these things happen, people will arrest and persecute you. They will hand you over to their synagogues and put you into their prisons. They will drag you in front of kings and governors because of my name. 13 It will be your opportunity to testify to them. 14 So make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 I will give you words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to oppose or prove wrong.

16 “Even parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and kill some of you. 17 Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. 18 But not a hair on your head will be lost. 19 By your endurance you will save your life.

20 “When you see armies camped around Jerusalem, realize that the time is near for it to be destroyed. 21 Then those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. Those of you in Jerusalem should leave it. Those of you in the fields shouldn’t go back into them. 22 This will be a time of vengeance. Everything that is written about it will come true.

23 “How horrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. Indeed, the land will suffer very hard times, and its people will be punished. 24 Swords will cut them down, and they will be carried off into all nations as prisoners. Nations will trample Jerusalem until the times allowed for the nations ⌞to do this⌟ are over.

25 “Miraculous signs will occur in the sun, moon, and stars. The nations of the earth will be deeply troubled and confused because of the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint as they fearfully wait for what will happen to the world. Indeed, the powers of the universe will be shaken.

27 “Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 “When these things begin to happen, stand with confidence! The time when you will be set free is near.”

29 Then Jesus used this story as an illustration. “Look at the fig tree or any other tree. 30 As soon as leaves grow on them, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that God’s kingdom is near.

32 “I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all this takes place. 33 The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

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