Chapter 24

And Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came forward to show him the buildings of the temple.

But he answered and said to them, "Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when are these things to happen, and what will be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? "

And in answer Jesus said to them, "Take care that no one leads you astray.

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

For you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. Take care that you do not be alarmed, for these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

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

But all these things are the beginnings of sorrows.

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

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

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

And because iniquity will abound, the charity of the many will grow cold.

But whoever perseveres to the end, he shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a witness to all nations; and then will come the end. Destruction of Jerusalem

"Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place---let him who reads understand---

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

and let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything from his house;

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

But woe to those who are with child, or have infants at the breast in those days!

But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on the Sabbath.

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor will be.

And unless those days had been shortened, no living creature would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Signs of the Last Day

"Then if anyone say to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ, ' or, 'There he is, ' do not believe it.

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

Behold, I have told it to you beforehand.

If therefore they say to you, 'Behold, he is in the desert, ' do not go forth; 'Behold, he is in the inner chambers, ' do not believe it.

For as the lightning comes from the east and shines even to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

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

"But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

And then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then will all tribes of the earth mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with great power and majesty.

And he will send forth his angels with a trumpet and a great sound, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch is now tender, and the leaves break forth, you know that summer is near.

Even so, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door.

Amen I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things have been accomplished.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. The Need for Watchfulness

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but the Father only.

And as it was in the days of Noe, even so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

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

and they did not understand until the flood came and swept them all away; even so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

"Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.

Two women will be grinding at the millstone; one will be taken, and one will be left. Exhortation to Vigilance

"Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is to come.

But of this be assured, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would certainly have watched, and not have let his house be broken into.

Therefore you also must be ready, because at an hour that you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

Who, dost thou think, is the faithful and prudent servant whom his master has set over his household to give them their food in due time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, shall find so doing.

Amen I say to you, he will set him over all his goods.

But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master delays his coming, '

and begins to beat his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards,

the master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect, and in an hour he does not know,

and will cut him asunder and make him share the lot of the hypocrites. There will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.