24Matthew 24

The Temple Will Be Destroyed

1After Jesus left the temple, his disciples came over and said, “Look at all these buildings!”Select Matthew 24:1

2Jesus replied, “Do you see these buildings? They will certainly be torn down! Not one stone will be left in place.”Select Matthew 24:2

Warning about Trouble

3Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him in private and asked, “When will this happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”Select Matthew 24:3

4Jesus answered: Don't let anyone fool you.Select Matthew 24:4

5Many will come and claim to be me. They will say they are the Messiah, and they will fool many people.Select Matthew 24:5

6You will soon hear about wars and threats of wars, but don't be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn't the end.Select Matthew 24:6

7Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes.Select Matthew 24:7

8But this is just the beginning of troubles.Select Matthew 24:8

9You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations.Select Matthew 24:9

10Many will give up and will betray and hate each other.Select Matthew 24:10

11Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people.Select Matthew 24:11

12Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others.Select Matthew 24:12

13But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.Select Matthew 24:13

14When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all over the world and told to all nations, the end will come.Select Matthew 24:14

The Horrible Thing

15Someday you will see that “Horrible Thing” in the holy place, just as the prophet Daniel said. Everyone who reads this must try to understand!Select Matthew 24:15

16If you are living in Judea at that time, run to the mountains.Select Matthew 24:16

17If you are on the roof of your house, don't go inside to get anything.Select Matthew 24:17

18If you are out in the field, don't go back for your coat.Select Matthew 24:18

19It will be a terrible time for women who are expecting babies or nursing young children.Select Matthew 24:19

20And pray that you won't have to escape in winter or on a Sabbath.Select Matthew 24:20

21This will be the worst time of suffering since the beginning of the world, and nothing this terrible will ever happen again.Select Matthew 24:21

22If God doesn't make the time shorter, no one will be left alive. But because of God's chosen ones, he will make the time shorter.Select Matthew 24:22

23Someone may say, “Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!” But don't believe it.Select Matthew 24:23

24False messiahs and false prophets will come and work great miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones.Select Matthew 24:24

25But I have warned you ahead of time.Select Matthew 24:25

26If you are told the Messiah is out in the desert, don't go there! And if you are told he is in some secret place, don't believe it!Select Matthew 24:26

27The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that can be seen from east to west.Select Matthew 24:27

28Where there is a corpse, there will always be vultures.Select Matthew 24:28

When the Son of Man Appears

29Right after those days of suffering, “The sun will become dark, and the moon will no longer shine. The stars will fall, and the powers in the sky will be shaken.”Select Matthew 24:29

30Then a sign will appear in the sky. And there will be the Son of Man. All nations on earth will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.Select Matthew 24:30

31At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth.Select Matthew 24:31

A Lesson from a Fig Tree

32Learn a lesson from a fig tree. When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know summer is near.Select Matthew 24:32

33So when you see all these things happening, you will know the time has almost come.Select Matthew 24:33

34I can promise you that some of the people of this generation will still be alive when all this happens.Select Matthew 24:34

35The sky and the earth won't last forever, but my words will.Select Matthew 24:35

No One Knows the Day or Time

36No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows.Select Matthew 24:36

37When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived.Select Matthew 24:37

38People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day the flood came and Noah went into the big boat.Select Matthew 24:38

39They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. This is how it will be when the Son of Man appears.Select Matthew 24:39

40Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left.Select Matthew 24:40

41Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left.Select Matthew 24:41

42So be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come.Select Matthew 24:42

43Homeowners never know when a thief is coming, and they are always on guard to keep one from breaking in.Select Matthew 24:43

44Always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.Select Matthew 24:44

Faithful and Unfaithful Servants

45Who are faithful and wise servants? Who are the ones the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their food supplies at the proper time?Select Matthew 24:45

46Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job.Select Matthew 24:46

47You may be sure a servant who is always faithful will be put in charge of everything the master owns.Select Matthew 24:47

48But suppose one of the servants thinks the master won't return until late.Select Matthew 24:48

49Suppose this evil servant starts beating the other servants and eats and drinks with people who are drunk.Select Matthew 24:49

50If that happens, the master will surely come on a day and at a time when the servant least expects him.Select Matthew 24:50

51This servant will then be punished and thrown out with the ones who only pretended to serve their master. There they will cry and grit their teeth in pain.Select Matthew 24:51