Destruction of the Temple Predicted

24 As Jesus left and was going out of the temple,^(A) his disciples^(B) came up and called his attention to its buildings. ² He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ^(C)

⁴ Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives^(D) you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.^{(E) 6} You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines^[a](F) and earthquakes in various places.^{(G) 8} All these events are the beginning of labor pains.^(H)

Persecutions Predicted

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.^{(I) 10} Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets^(J) will rise up and deceive many. ¹² Because lawlessness^(K) will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world^[b] as a testimony to all nations,^(L) and then the end will come.^(M)

The Great Tribulation

¹⁵ “So when you see the abomination of desolation,^[c] spoken of by the prophet Daniel,^(N) standing in the holy place”^(O) (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ A man on the housetop^[d] must not come down to get things out of his house,^{(P) 18} and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. ¹⁹ Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For at that time there will be great distress,^[e](Q) the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. ²² Unless those days were cut short, no one would^[f] be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.^(R)

²³ “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’^(S) or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it.^{(T) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,^(U) if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ Take note: I have told you in advance. ²⁶ So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^{(V) 28} Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures^[g] will gather.^(W)

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress^(X) of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth^[h] will mourn;^[i] and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.^{(Y) 31} He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet,^(Z) and they will gather his elect from the four winds,^(AA) from one end of the sky to the other.

The Parable of the Fig Tree

³² “Learn this lesson^(AB) from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize^[j] that he^[k] is near—at the door.^{(AC) 34} Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.^{(AD) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away,^(AE) but my words will never pass away.^(AF)

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³⁶ “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son^[l] —except the Father alone.^{(AG) 37} As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. ³⁸ For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.^{(AH) 39} They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left.^{(AI) 42} Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[m] your Lord is coming.^{(AJ) 43} But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[n] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.^{(AK) 44} This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(AL)

Faithful Service to Christ

⁴⁵ “Who then is a faithful and wise servant,^(AM) whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time?^{(AN) 46} Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.^{(AO) 47} Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards,^{(AP) 50} that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Destruction of the Temple Predicted

13 As^(A) he was going out of the temple,^(B) one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher,^(C) look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!” ^(D)

² Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings?^(E) Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives^(F) across from the temple,^(G) Peter,^(H) James,^(I) John,^(J) and Andrew^(K) asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

⁵ Jesus told them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name,^(L) saying, ‘I am he,’^(M) and they will deceive^(N) many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars,^(O) don’t be alarmed;^(P) these things must take place,^(Q) but it is not yet the end. ⁸ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^(R) There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.^[a] These are the beginning^(S) of birth pains.^(T)

Persecutions Predicted

⁹ “But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts,^[b](U) and you will be flogged^(V) in the synagogues.^(W) You will stand before governors and kings^(X) because of me,^(Y) as a witness^(Z) to them.^{(AA) 10} And it is necessary that the gospel^(AB) be preached to all nations. ¹¹ So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

¹² “Brother will betray^(AC) brother to death,^(AD) and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ You will be hated by everyone because of my name,^(AE) but the one who endures to the end will be saved.^(AF)

The Great Tribulation

¹⁴ “When you see the abomination of desolation^[c](AG) standing where it should not be” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judea^(AH) must flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house,^{(AI) 16} and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat.^{(AJ) 17} Woe ^(AK) to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!

¹⁸ “Pray^(AL) it^[d] won’t happen in winter. ¹⁹ For those will be days of tribulation,^(AM) the kind that hasn’t been from the beginning^(AN) of creation^(AO) until now and never will be again. ²⁰ If the Lord^(AP) had not cut those days short,^(AQ) no one would be saved. But he cut those days short for the sake of the elect,^(AR) whom he chose.^(AS)

²¹ “Then if anyone tells you, ‘See, here is the Messiah!^(AT) See, there!’ do not believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders^(AU) to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³ And you must watch! I have told you everything in advance.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation:^(AV) The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; ²⁵ the stars^(AW) will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.^{(AX) 26} Then they will see the Son of Man^(AY) coming^(AZ) in clouds^(BA) with great power^(BB) and glory.^{(BC) 27} He will send out the angels^(BD) and gather his elect^(BE) from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.^(BF)

The Parable of the Fig Tree

²⁸ “Learn^(BG) this lesson^(BH) from the fig^(BI) tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.^{(BJ) 29} In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognize^[e] that he^[f] is near—at the door.

³⁰ “Truly I tell you,^(BK) this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹ Heaven and earth^(BL) will pass away,^(BM) but my words will never pass away.^(BN)

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³² “Now concerning that day^(BO) or hour no one knows—neither the angels^(BP) in heaven nor the Son^(BQ) —but only the Father.^(BR)

³³ “Watch! Be alert!^[g] For you don’t know when the time^(BS) is coming.^(BT)

³⁴ “It is like^(BU) a man on a journey, who left his house, gave authority to his servants,^(BV) gave each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to be alert. ³⁵ Therefore be alert,^(BW) since you don’t know when the master^(BX) of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning. ³⁶ Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping.^{(BY) 37} And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Be alert!”