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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Matthew 24: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 24
24
1 And Jesus departed from the temple and went away. And his disciples approached him, so as to show him the buildings of the temple.
2 But he said to them in response: "Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not remain here stone upon stone, which is not torn down."
3 Then, when he was seated at the Mount of Olives, the disciples drew near to him privately, saying: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your advent and of the consummation of the age?"
4 And answering, Jesus said to them: "Pay attention, lest someone lead you astray.
5 For many will come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ.' And they will lead many astray.
6 For you will hear of battles and rumors of battles. Take care not to be disturbed. For these things must be, but the end is not so soon.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places.
8 But all these things are just the beginning of the sorrows.
9 Then they will hand you over to tribulation, and they will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for the sake of my name.
10 And then many will be led into sin, and will betray one another, and will have hatred for one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise, and they will lead many astray.
12 And because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many will grow cold.
13 But whoever will have persevered until the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached throughout the entire world, as a testimony to all nations. And then the consummation will occur.
15 Therefore, when you will have seen the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, may he who reads understand,
16 then those who are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains.
17 And whoever is on the roof, let him not descend to take anything from his house.
18 And whoever is in the field, let him not turn back to take his tunic.
19 So then, woe to those who are pregnant or nursing in those days.
20 But pray that your flight may not be in winter, or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until the present, and such as will not be.
22 And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if anyone will have said to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'he is there,' do not be willing to believe it.
24 For there will arise false Christs and false prophets. And they will produce great signs and wonders, so much so as to lead into error even the elect (if this could be).
25 Behold, I have warned you beforehand.
26 Therefore, if they will have said to you, 'Behold, he is in the desert,' do not choose to go out, or, 'Behold, he is in the inner rooms,' do not be willing to believe it.
27 For just as lightning goes out from the east, and appears even in the west, so shall it be also at the advent of the Son of man.
28 Wherever the body shall be, there also will the eagles be gathered together.
29 And 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 shall appear in heaven. And then all tribes of the earth shall mourn. And they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven, with great power and majesty.
31 And he shall send out his Angels with a trumpet and a great voice. And they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the heights of the heavens, even to their furthest limits.
32 So, from the fig tree learn a parable. When its branch has now become tender and the leaves have sprung forth, you know that summer is near.
33 So also, when you will have seen all these things, know that it is near, even at the threshold.
34 Amen I say to you, that this lineage shall not pass away, until all these things have been done.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the Angels of the heavens, but only the Father.
37 And just as in the days of Noah, so also will be the advent of the Son of man.
38 For it will be just as it was in the days before the flood: eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, even until that day when Noah entered into the ark.
39 And they did not realize it, until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the advent of the Son of man be.
40 Then two men will be in a field: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind.
41 Two women will be grinding at a millstone: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind.
42 Therefore, be vigilant. For you do not know at what hour your Lord will return.
43 But know this: if only the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly keep vigil and not permit his house to be broken into.
44 For this reason, you also must be prepared, for you do not know at what hour the Son of man will return.
45 Consider this: who is a faithful and prudent servant, who has been appointed by his lord over his family, to give them their portion in due time?
46 Blessed is that servant, if, when his lord has arrived, he shall find him doing so.
47 Amen I say to you, he shall appoint him over all of his goods.
48 But if that evil servant has said in his heart, 'My lord has been delayed in returning,'
49 and so, he begins to strike his fellow servants, and he eats and drinks with the inebriated:
50 then the lord of that servant will arrive on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know.
51 And he shall separate him, and he shall place his portion with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
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