(Matthew 24:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)
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As Jesus was walking away from the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at the wonderful stones and wonderful buildings!”
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He said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another which will not be torn down.”
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As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
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“Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign when all these things are about to happen?”
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Jesus began to say to them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
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Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he,’ and they will lead many astray.
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When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not worry; these things must happen, but the end is not yet.
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For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places, and famines. These are the beginnings of birth pains.
Witnessing to All Nations
(Matthew 24:9–14; Luke 21:10–19)
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Be on your guard. They will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before both governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them.
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But the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.
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When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry about what you should say. For in that hour, what you should say will be given to you; it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
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Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.
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You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But whoever endures to the end, that person will be saved.
The Abomination of Desolation
(Matthew 24:15–25; Luke 21:20–24)
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When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be standing (let the reader understand), let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,
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let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house or take anything out of it,
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and let him who is in the field not return to take his cloak.
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But woe to those who are with child and to those who are nursing infants in those days!
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Pray that it might not occur in the winter.
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For there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning, when God created the world, until now, no, nor ever will be again.
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Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those whom he chose, he cut short the days.
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Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.
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For false Christs and false prophets will appear and will give signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
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Be on guard! I have told you all these things ahead of time.
The Return of the Son of Man
(Matthew 24:26–31; Luke 21:25–28)
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But after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,
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the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.
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Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
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Then he will send his angels and he will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
(Matthew 24:32–35; Luke 21:29–33)
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Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as the branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.
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So also, when you see these things happening, you know that he is near, close to the gates.
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Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all of these things occur.
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Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour
(Matthew 24:36–51; Luke 12:35–48)
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But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.
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Be alert! Watch and pray, because you do not know what time it is.
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It is like a man who goes on a journey-he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge of the house, each one with his work, and he commands the watchman to stay awake.
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Therefore, stay alert, because you do not know when the master of the house will come home; it could be in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.
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If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.
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What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch!”
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