The Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 24
{24:1} Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His
disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. {24:2}
But he answered them, "Don't you see all of these things? Most
assuredly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on
another, that will not be thrown down."
{24:3} As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him
privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the
sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"
{24:4} Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you
astray. {24:5} For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the
Christ,' and will lead many astray. {24:6} You will hear of wars and
rumors of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must
happen, but the end is not yet. {24:7} For nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines,
plagues, and earthquakes in various places. {24:8} But all these
things are the beginning of birth pains. {24:9} Then they will deliver
you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of
the nations for my name's sake. {24:10} Then many will stumble, and
will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. {24:11} Many
false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray. {24:12} Because
iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. {24:13}
But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. {24:14} This
Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a
testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
{24:15} "When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation,
which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy
place (let the reader understand), {24:16} then let those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains. {24:17} Let him who is on the housetop
not go down to take out things that are in his house. {24:18} Let him
who is in the field not return back to get his clothes. {24:19} But
woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!
{24:20} Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a
Sabbath, {24:21} for then there will be great oppression, such as has
not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will
be. {24:22} Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have
been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be
shortened.
{24:23} "Then if any man tells you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,'
or, 'There,' don't believe it. {24:24} For there will arise false
christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and
wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
{24:25} "Behold, I have told you beforehand. {24:26} If therefore
they tell you, 'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't go out;
'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' don't believe it. {24:27} For
as the lightning comes forth from the east, and is seen even to the
west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. {24:28} For wherever
the carcass is, there will the [1>]vultures[<1] be gathered together.
{24:29} But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun
will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will
fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
{24:30} and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.
Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son
of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
{24:31} He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds,
from one end of the sky to the other.
{24:32} "Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch
has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the
summer is near. {24:33} Even so you also, when you see all these
things, know that it is near, even at the doors. {24:34} Most
assuredly I tell you, this [2>]generation[<2] will not pass away,
until all these things are accomplished. {24:35} Heaven and earth will
pass away, but my words will not pass away. {24:36} But no one knows
of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father
only.
{24:37} "As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son
of Man. {24:38} 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, {24:39} and they didn't know until
the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the
Son of Man. {24:40} Then two men will be in the field: one will be
taken and one will be left; {24:41} two women grinding at the mill,
one will be taken and one will be left. {24:42} Watch therefore, for
you don't know in what hour your Lord comes. {24:43} But know this,
that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night
the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have
allowed his house to be broken into. {24:44} Therefore also be ready,
for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man will come.
{24:45} "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord
has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
{24:46} Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he
comes. {24:47} Most assuredly I tell you that he will set him over all
that he has. {24:48} But if that evil servant should say in his heart,
'My lord is delaying his coming,' {24:49} and begins to beat his
fellow-servants, and eat and drink with the drunken, {24:50} the lord
of that servant will come in a day when he doesn't expect it, and in
an hour when he doesn't know it, {24:51} and will cut him in pieces,
and appoint his portion with the hypocrites; there is where the
weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
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Footnotes:
[1] {24:28} or, eagles
[2] {24:34} The word for "generation" (genea) can also be translated as
"race."
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