Matthew 24
24
The temple’s fate
1Now Jesus left the temple and was going away. His disciples came to point out to him the temple buildings. 2He responded, “Do you see all these things? I assure that no stone will be left on another. Everything will be demolished.”
Beginning of troubles
3Now while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”
4Jesus replied, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the Christ.’ They will deceive many people. 6You will hear about wars and reports of wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. 7Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in all sorts of places. 8But all these things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end. 9They will arrest you, abuse you, and they will kill you. All nations will hate you on account of my name. 10At that time many will fall away. They will betray each other and hate each other. 11Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because disobedience will expand, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. 14This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all the nations. Then the end will come.
The great suffering
15 “When you see the disgusting and destructive thing that Daniel talked about standing in the holy place (the reader should understand this), 16then those in Judea must escape to the mountains. 17Those on the roof shouldn’t come down to grab things from their houses. 18Those in the field shouldn’t come back to grab their clothes. 19How terrible it will be at that time for women who are pregnant and for women who are nursing their children. 20Pray that it doesn’t happen in winter or on the Sabbath day. 21There will be great suffering such as the world has never before seen and will never again see. 22If that time weren’t shortened, nobody would be rescued. But for the sake of the ones whom God chose, that time will be cut short.
23 “Then if somebody says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Christ,’ or ‘He’s over here,’ don’t believe it. 24False christs and false prophets will appear, and they will offer great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. 25Look, I’ve told you ahead of time. 26So if they say to you, ‘Look, he’s in the desert,’ don’t go out. And if they say, ‘Look, he’s in the rooms deep inside the house,’ don’t believe it. 27Just as the lightning flashes from the east to the west, so it will be with the coming of the Human One.#24.27 Or Son of Man 28The vultures gather wherever there’s a dead body.
Coming of the Human One
29 “Now immediately after the suffering of that time the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. 30Then the sign of the Human One#24.30 Or Son of Man will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One#24.30 Or Son of Man coming in the heavenly clouds#24.30 Dan 7:13 I suddenly saw one like a human being (Aram kebar enash) coming with the heavenly clouds. with power and great splendor. 31He will send his angels with the sound of a great trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the earth, from one end of the sky to the other.
A lesson from the fig tree
32 “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. 33In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that the Human One#24.33 Or Son of Man is near, at the door. 34I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.
Day and hour
36 “But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the heavenly angels and not the Son. Only the Father knows. 37As it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Human One.#24.37 Or Son of Man 38In those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 39They didn’t know what was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. The coming of the Human One#24.39 Or Son of Man will be like that. 40At that time there will be two men in the field. One will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. 42Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know what day the Lord is coming. 43But you understand that if the head of the house knew at what time the thief would come, he would keep alert and wouldn’t allow the thief to break into his house. 44Therefore, you also should be prepared, because the Human One#24.44 Or Son of Man will come at a time you don’t know.
Faithful and unfaithful servants
45 “Who then are the faithful and wise servants whom their master puts in charge of giving food at the right time to those who live in his house? 46Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes. 47I assure you that he will put them in charge of all his possessions. 48But suppose those bad servants should say to themselves, My master won’t come until later. 49And suppose they began to beat their fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunks? 50The master of those servants will come on a day when they are not expecting him, at a time they couldn’t predict. 51He will cut them in pieces and put them in a place with the hypocrites. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.
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Matthew 24: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Matthew 24
24
The Temple Will Be Destroyed
(Mark 13.1,2; Luke 21.5,6)
1After Jesus left the temple, his disciples came over and said, “Look at all these buildings!”
2Jesus replied, “Do you see these buildings? They will certainly be torn down! Not one stone will be left in place.”
Warning about Trouble
(Mark 13.3-13; Luke 21.7-19)
3 #
2 Esd 4.51—5.19. Later, 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?”
4Jesus answered:
Don't let anyone fool you. 5Many will come and claim to be me. They will say they are the Messiah, and they will fool many people.
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. 7#2 Esd 13.31. Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes. 8But this is just the beginning of troubles.
9 #
Mt 10.22. You will be arrested, punished, and even killed. Because of me, you will be hated by people of all nations. 10Many will give up and will betray and hate each other. 11Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people. 12Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others. 13#Mt 10.22. But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved. 14When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all over the world and told to all nations, the end will come.
The Horrible Thing
(Mark 13.14-23; Luke 21.20-24)
15 #
Dn 9.27; 11.31; 12.11; 1 Macc 1.54; 6.7. Someday you will see that “Horrible Thing” in the holy place, just as the prophet Daniel said. Everyone who reads this must try to understand! 16If you are living in Judea at that time, run to the mountains. 17#Lk 17.31. If you are on the roof#24.17 roof: In Palestine the houses usually had a flat roof. Stairs on the outside led up to the roof, which was made of beams and boards covered with packed earth. of your house, don't go inside to get anything. 18If you are out in the field, don't go back for your coat. 19It will be a terrible time for women who are expecting babies or nursing young children. 20And pray that you won't have to escape in winter or on a Sabbath.#24.20 in winter or on a Sabbath: In Palestine the winters are cold and rainy and make travel difficult. The Jewish people were not allowed to travel much more than a kilometer on the Sabbath. For these reasons it was hard for them to escape from their enemies in the winter or on a Sabbath. 21#Dn 12.1; Rev 7.14. This will be the worst time of suffering since the beginning of the world, and nothing this terrible will ever happen again. 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.
23Someone may say, “Here is the Messiah!” or “There he is!” But don't believe it. 24False messiahs and false prophets will come and work great miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones. 25But I have warned you ahead of time. 26#Lk 17.23,24. If 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! 27The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that can be seen from east to west. 28#Lk 17.37. Where there is a corpse, there will always be vultures.#24.28 Where there is a corpse, there will always be vultures: This saying may mean that when anything important happens, people soon know about it. Or the saying may mean that whenever something bad happens, curious people gather around and stare. But the word translated “vulture” also means “eagle” and may refer to the Roman army, which had an eagle as its symbol.
When the Son of Man Appears
(Mark 13.24-27; Luke 21.25-28)
29 #
Is 13.10; Jl 2.10; Jl 2.10,31; 3.15; Rev 6.12;
Is 13.10; Ez 32.7; Jl 2.10; 3.15;
Is 34.4; Rev 6.13. Right 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#24.29 the powers in the sky: In ancient times people thought that the stars were spiritual powers.
will be shaken.”
30 #
Dn 7.13; Zec 12.10-14; Rev 1.7. Then a sign will appear in the sky. And there will be the Son of Man.#24.30 And there will be the Son of Man: Or “And it 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. 31At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth.
A Lesson from a Fig Tree
(Mark 13.28-31; Luke 21.29-33)
32Learn a lesson from a fig tree. When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know summer is near. 33So when you see all these things happening, you will know the time has almost come.#24.33 the time has almost come: Or “he (that is, the Son of Man) will soon be here.” 34I can promise you that some of the people of this generation will still be alive when all this happens. 35The sky and the earth won't last forever, but my words will.
No One Knows the Day or Time
(Mark 13.32-37; Luke 17.26-30,34-36)
36No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know.#24.36 and the Son himself doesn't know: These words are not in some manuscripts. Only the Father knows. 37#Gn 6.5-8. When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. 38People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day the flood came and Noah went into the big boat. 39#Gn 7.5-24. They 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.
40Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 41Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 42So be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come. 43#Lk 12.39,40. Homeowners never know when a thief is coming, and they are always on guard to keep one from breaking in. 44Always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.
Faithful and Unfaithful Servants
(Luke 12.35-48)
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? 46Servants are fortunate if their master comes and finds them doing their job. 47You may be sure a servant who is always faithful will be put in charge of everything the master owns. 48But suppose one of the servants thinks the master won't return until late. 49Suppose this evil servant starts beating the other servants and eats and drinks with people who are drunk. 50If that happens, the master will surely come on a day and at a time when the servant least expects him. 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.
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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.