^8 (A)But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “^(B)Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and ^(C)you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰ And at that time many will ^[a](D)fall away, and they will ^[b]betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ And many ^(E)false prophets will rise up and ^[c]mislead many people. ¹² And because lawlessness is increased, ^[d]most people’s love will become cold. ^13 (F)But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. ¹⁴ This ^(G)gospel of the kingdom ^(H)shall be preached in the whole ^[e](I)world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Perilous Times

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the ^(J)abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in ^(K)the holy place—^[f](L)let the ^[g]reader understand— ¹⁶ then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. ^17 [h]Whoever is on ^(M)the ^[i]housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. ¹⁸ And ^[j]whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹ But ^(N)woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ Moreover, pray that ^[k]when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

¹² “But before all these things, ^(A)they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, ^[a]bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name. ^13 (B)It will lead to ^[b]an opportunity for your testimony. ^14 (C)So ^[c]make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; ¹⁵ for ^(D)I will provide you ^[d]eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute. ¹⁶ But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, ¹⁷ and you will be hated by all people because of My name. ¹⁸ And yet ^(E)not a hair of your head will perish. ^19 (F)By your endurance you will gain your ^[e]lives.

²⁰ “But when you see Jerusalem ^(G)surrounded by armies, then ^[f]recognize that her desolation is near. ²¹ Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside ^[g]the city must leave, and ^(H)those who are in the country must not enter ^[h]the city; ²² because these are ^(I)days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled. ²³ Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for ^(J)there will be great distress upon the ^[i]land, and wrath to this people; ²⁴ and they will fall by ^(K)the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and ^(L)Jerusalem will be ^(M)trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until ^(N)the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.