1As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look at these stones and these buildings. How wonderful they are."
2Jesus answered him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. Every one will be thrown down."
3He sat on the mount of Olives, facing the temple. Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4"Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when all these things are about to be finished?"
5Jesus answered them and began to say, "Be careful that no one deceives you."
6"Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ.' They will deceive many people."
7"When you hear of wars and reports of wars, do not be troubled. Such things must happen, but the end is not yet."
8"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginning of the pains."
9"But be careful for yourselves. They will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings because of me, as a witness against them."
10"And the gospel must first be preached among all nations."
11"When they lead you away and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you will say. Do not plan it out. Whatever is given to you at that time, say it. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."
12"Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death."
13"Everyone will hate you because of my name. But the one who holds out to the end will be saved."
14"When you see the abomination of desolation, which Daniel the prophet spoke about, standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judaea run away to the mountains."
15"The one who is on the housetop must not go down into the house, or go inside to take anything out of it."
16"And the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat."
17"How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing babies."
18"Pray that your escape will not be in winter."
19"For in those days there will be trouble such as there has never been from the beginning of the creation which God made until now, and never will be again."
20"If the Lord had not cut those days short, no one at all would be saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he has chosen, he has cut the days short."
21"Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is Christ,' or, 'Look, he is there,' do not believe him."
22"For false Christs and false prophets will rise up. They will show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if it were possible, even the chosen ones."
23"But be careful. Look, I have told you everything beforehand."
24"But in those days, after that time of trouble, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,"
25"and the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken."
26"Then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."
27"Then he will send his angels, and gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven."
28"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree. When its branch is still soft and it puts out leaves, you know that summer is near."
29"In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that it is near, right at the doors."
30"I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened."
31"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
32"But no one knows that day or that hour. Not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
33"Be careful, keep watch and pray, for you do not know when the time will come."
34"It is like a man who went away on a long journey. He left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and he told the doorkeeper to keep watch."
35"So keep watch. For you do not know when the master of the house is coming, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning."
36"He may come suddenly and find you sleeping."
37"What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch."