WeBible

1 - As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!"

2 - "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down."

3 - He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him,

4 - "Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?"

5 - So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you.

6 - Many will come assuming my name and saying, `I am He;' and they will mislead many.

7 - But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet.

8 - For <FO>nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.<Fo> There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

9 - "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me.

10 - But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes.

11 - When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12 - "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and <FO>children will rise against their parents<Fo> and have them put to death.

13 - You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

14 - "As soon, however, as you see the <FO>Abomination of Desolation<Fo> standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words-- "then let those in Judaea escape to the hills;

15 - let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it;

16 - and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment.

17 - And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

18 - "But pray that it may not come in the winter.

19 - For those will be times of <FO>suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now,<Fo> and assuredly never will be again;

20 - and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days.

21 - "At that time if any one says to you, `See, here is the Christ!' or `See, He is there!' do not believe it.

22 - For <FO>there will rise up<Fo> false Christs and false <FO>prophets, displaying signs and prodigies<Fo> with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People.

23 - But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.

24 - <FO>"At that time,<Fo> however, after that <FO>distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light;

25 - the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.<Fo>

26 - And then will they see <FO>the Son of Man coming in clouds<Fo> with great power and glory.

27 - Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky.

28 - "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

29 - So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door.

30 - I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.

31 - Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.

32 - "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

33 - Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen.

34 - It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake.

35 - Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn.

36 - Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep.

37 - Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"