For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets, who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might be tricked.

For just like lightning that appears in the east can be seen even in the west, so it will be with the presence [i.e., coming] of the Son of man.

Wherever there is a dead body, [you can expect to see] vultures gathered there. [Note: This may mean that such a significant event as the coming of Christ would surely not go unnoticed].

"But immediately after the terrible trouble of those days, [i.e., the next major event on God's calendar], the sun will become dark, and [therefore] the moon will not [be able to] shed its [reflected] light. The stars will fall from the sky and the forces of the heavens will be shaken [Note: From the description of these same events in Luke 21:25-26, it is possible that this is figurative language for great calamities happening on the earth].

then shall that sign, the son of man in the clouds of heaven, appear: and all the tribes of the land shall mourn, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

Now take an example from the fig-tree: when her branch has become soft and puts out its leaves, you are certain that the summer is near;

Even so, when you see all these things, you may be certain that he is near, even at the doors.

Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these [things] take place!

Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.

But of that day and hour no one has knowledge, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but the Father only.

For as in the days before the flood: they did eat and drink, marry, and were married, even unto the day that Noah entered in to the ship,

They were unaware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That's how it will be when the Son of Man comes.

At that time there will be two men [working] in a field; one will be taken [i.e., to be with the Lord. See I Thess. 4:17], while the other one will be left [i.e., to be punished by the Lord. See II Thess. 1:7-9].

But be certain of this, that if the master of the house had had knowledge of the time when the thief was coming, he would have been watching, and would not have let his house be broken into.

For this [reason] you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think [he will come].

Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

A blessing on that servant, who will be doing so when his lord comes.

Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But if that evil servant says in his heart, My lord is a long time in coming;

The lord of that servant will come in a day when he is not looking for him, and in an hour of which he has no knowledge,

and will cut him in two and assign his place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be made like to ten virgins that having taken their torches, went forth to meet the bridegroom.

They that were foolish took their torches and did not take oil with them;

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, so that meanwhile they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

But the prudent answered saying, We cannot, lest it might not suffice for us and for you. Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves.

But as they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ones that were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

After that the other virgins came, saying, Lord, Lord, let us in.

Look that ye watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor yet the hour, when the son of man shall come.

"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a man who planned to go on a trip to a distant country, so called his servants and entrusted to each of them a large sum of money [Note: The narrative that follows suggests that the man was turning over some of his assets to financial managers to invest for him].

And he that had received the five talents went and trafficked with them, and made five other talents.

In like manner also he that had received the two, he also gained two others.

But he that had received the one went and dug in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.

And he that had received the five talents came to him and brought five other talents, saying, My lord, thou deliveredst me five talents; behold, I have gained five other talents besides them.

And he also that had received the two talents came to him and said, My lord, thou deliveredst me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents besides them.

And he who had had the one talent came and said, Lord, I had knowledge that you are a hard man, getting in grain where you have not put seed, and making profits for which you have done no work:

and being afraid I went away and hid thy talent in the earth; behold, thou hast that which is thine.

But his lord in answer said to him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge that I get in grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I have done no work,

So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, so that when I came back I could have collected my principal with interest.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten talents:

for to every one that has shall be given, and he shall be in abundance; but from him that has not, that even which he has shall be taken from him.

And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness--in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

'Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

And the king shall answer and say to them, I tell you truly, that inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.

Then he will also say to those on [his] left, 'Depart from me, [you] accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!

Then he shall answer them saying, I tell you truly, that inasmuch as you have not done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have not done it to me.

And it happened that when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

"You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of Man will be handed over in order to be crucified."

and plotted in order that they could arrest Jesus by stealth and kill [him].

But they were saying, "Not during the feast, so that there will not be an uproar among the people."

When his disciples saw that, they had indignation saying, "What needed this waste?

"the perfume might have been sold for a good sum, and the poor might have got that."

When Jesus understood that, he said unto them, "Why trouble ye the woman? She hath wrought a good work upon me.

And in that she casted this ointment on my body, she did it to bury me, withal.

Verily I say to you, Wheresoever these glad tidings may be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

It was then that one of the Twelve, named Judas Iscariot, made his way to the Chief Priests,

and said, "What would you give me if I turned Jesus over to you?" And they weighed out thirty silver coins [Note: This amount was equivalent to about five months of a farm laborer's wages, or approximately $7,000 in 1994], and promised [See Mark 14:11] to give him that much money.

And from that time on, he began seeking a favorable opportunity in order that he could betray him.

Now on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

and he said, go into the city to such a man, and say to him, the master sends you word that his time is at hand, and he designs to keep the passover now at your house with his disciples.

And [while] they were eating he said, "Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me."

But he answering said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, he it is who shall deliver me up.

The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born."

For this is my blood, that of the new covenant, that shed for many for remission of sins.

But I tell you, from now [on] I will never drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father."

But after that I shall be risen, I will go before you to Galilee.

Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that during this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times!"

Then he told them, "I'm so deeply grieved that I feel I'm about to die. Wait here and stay awake with me."

And he comes to the disciples, and sees that they are sleeping, and says to Peter, What, were you not able to keep watch with me one hour?

Stay awake and pray that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak!"

He went away once more, and prayed, saying, "O my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, but that I drink of it, thy will be fulfilled."

After that He came back to the disciples and said to them: "Still sleeping! Still resting! See! The time has come for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men!

Arise, let us go; behold, he that delivers me up has drawn nigh.

Now he that delivered him up had given them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, he it is: seize him.

And Jesus said to him, "Friend, [do that] for which you have come." Then they came up [and] laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretching out his hand, drew his sword, and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, "Put up thy sword into his sheath. For all they that lay hands on the sword, shall perish with the sword.

Or do you think that I cannot call upon my Father, and he would put at my disposal at once more than twelve legions of angels?

How then would the scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen in this way?"

At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs, as against a robber, to arrest me? Every day in the temple [courts] I sat teaching, and you did not arrest me!

But all this has happened in order that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled." Then the disciples all abandoned him [and] fled.

Now they that had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

and Peter followed Him at a distance, to the high-priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, that he might see the issue.

Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order that they could put him to death.

but found none: insomuch that when many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And the chief priest arose, and said to him, "Answerest thou nothing? How is it that these bear witness against thee?"

But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I put you under oath by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!"

Jesus said to him, As you say; but I tell you that hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Then the chief priest tore his garments, saying, That he blasphemed: what further need have we of witnesses? see, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

After that they spit in His face and hit Him with their fists, and others boxed His ears,

saying, "Tell us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee?"

But he said before them all that it was false, saying, I have no knowledge of what you say.

When he was gone out into the porch, another wench saw him, and said unto them that were there, "This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth."

And again he denied with an oath that he knew the man.

And after a while, came unto him they that stood by, and said unto Peter, "Surely thou art even one of them, for thy speech betrayeth thee."

Then began he to curse and to swear, that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the saying that Jesus said to him, Before a cock sounds, thou will deny me thrice. And having gone outside, he wept bitterly.

And when it was morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put him to death.

Then [when] Judas, the one who had betrayed him, saw that he had been condemned, he regretted [what he had done] [and] returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders,

saying, "I have sinned [by] betraying innocent blood!" But they said, "What [is that] to us? You see to [it]!"

And they said, What is that to us? See thou to it. And having thrown down the pieces of silver in the temple, he withdrew and went and hanged himself.