Matthew, 24

1. Jesus left the Temple, and as he was going away his disciples came up to draw his attention to the Temple buildings.

1. Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

2. He said to them in reply, 'You see all these? In truth I tell you, not a single stone here will be left on another: everything will be pulled down.'

2. But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down."

3. And while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives the disciples came and asked him when they were by themselves, 'Tell us, when is this going to happen, and what sign will there be of your coming and of the end of the world?'

3. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"

4. And Jesus answered them, 'Take care that no one deceives you,

4. And Jesus answered them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray.

5. because many will come using my name and saying, "I am the Christ," and they will deceive many.

5. For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.

6. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this is something that must happen, but the end will not be yet.

6. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

7. For nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places:

8. All this is only the beginning of the birthpangs.

8. all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.

9. 'Then you will be handed over to be tortured and put to death; and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name.

9. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

10. And then many will fall away; people will betray one another and hate one another.

10. And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another.

11. Many false prophets will arise; they will deceive many,

11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

12. and with the increase of lawlessness, love in most people will grow cold;

12. And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold.

13. but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved.

13. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

14. 'This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed to the whole world as evidence to the nations. And then the end will come.

14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.

15. 'So when you see the appalling abomination, of which the prophet Daniel spoke, set up in the holy place (let the reader understand),

15. "So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

16. then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains;

16. then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

17. if anyone is on the housetop, he must not come down to collect his belongings from the house;

17. let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house;

18. if anyone is in the fields, he must not turn back to fetch his cloak.

18. and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle.

19. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!

19. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days!

20. Pray that you will not have to make your escape in winter or on a Sabbath.

20. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath.

21. For then there will be great distress, unparalleled since the world began, and such as will never be again.

21. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

22. And if that time had not been shortened, no human being would have survived; but shortened that time shall be, for the sake of those who are chosen.

22. And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

23. 'If anyone says to you then, "Look, here is the Christ," or "Over here," do not believe it;

23. Then if any one says to you, `Lo, here is the Christ!' or `There he is!' do not believe it.

24. for false Christs and false prophets will arise and provide great signs and portents, enough to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

24. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

25. Look! I have given you warning.

25. Lo, I have told you beforehand.

26. 'If, then, they say to you, "Look, he is in the desert," do not go there; "Look, he is in some hiding place," do not believe it;

26. So, if they say to you, `Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; if they say, `Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

27. because the coming of the Son of man will be like lightning striking in the east and flashing far into the west.

27. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.

28. Wherever the corpse is, that is where the vultures will gather.

28. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

29. 'Immediately after the distress 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.

29. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;

30. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven; then, too, all the peoples of the earth will beat their breasts; and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

30. then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;

31. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

31. and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

32. 'Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

32. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.

33. So with you when you see all these things: know that he is near, right at the gates.

33. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

34. In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away, all these things will have taken place.

34. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.

35. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36. But as for that day and hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father alone.

36. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

37. 'As it was in Noah's day, so will it be when the Son of man comes.

37. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man.

38. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark,

38. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,

39. and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept them all away. This is what it will be like when the Son of man comes.

39. and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.

40. Then of two men in the fields, one is taken, one left;

40. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.

41. of two women grinding at the mill, one is taken, one left.

41. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.

42. 'So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming.

42. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

43. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house.

43. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.

44. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

44. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45. 'Who, then, is the wise and trustworthy servant whom the master placed over his household to give them their food at the proper time?

45. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

46. Blessed that servant if his master's arrival finds him doing exactly that.

46. Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.

47. In truth I tell you, he will put him in charge of everything he owns.

47. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

48. But if the servant is dishonest and says to himself, "My master is taking his time,"

48. But if that wicked servant says to himself, `My master is delayed,'

49. and sets about beating his fellow-servants and eating and drinking with drunkards,

49. and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken,

50. his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know.

50. the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know,

51. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'

51. and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.