For many people are called [by God] but [only those] few [who respond] are chosen [by Him]."

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said.

They sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are sincere and that You teach the way of God truthfully, without concerning Yourself about [what] anyone [thinks or says of Your teachings]; for You are impartial and do not seek anyone’s favor [and You treat all people alike, regardless of status].

Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?”

Show me the coin used for paying taxes." And they brought to Him a coin [Note: This coin was equivalent to one day of a farm laborer's pay, or about $60-$84 in 1994].

They say to him, Caesar's. Then he says to them, Pay then what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God.

In that day the Sadducees came to him, they saying there is to be no rising up: and they asked him,

"Teacher, Moses said [in Deut. 25:5] that when a man dies without having had any children, his brother must marry his widow and father children by her, who would [then] be considered his [dead] brother's.

Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven?

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

for in the other life after this, there will be no such thing as marriage; but they will be as the angels of God in heaven.

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

One of them, an expert in the Law, tested him by asking,

what think ye of Christ? whose son is he to be? they answered, David's.

He said to them, "How then does David, by the Spirit, call him 'Lord,' saying,

The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand, till I put under your feet all those who are against you?

“If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how then can the Messiah be his Son?”

saying, "The experts in the law of Moses and the Pharisees teach by the authority of Moses.

Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

And the things desired by them are the first places at feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues,

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

And, father, be none of you called, upon the earth, for, one, is your Father, the Heavenly;

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from heaven in people's faces. You don't go in yourselves, and you don't allow those who are trying to enter to go in.

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation!

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

but if any man swear by the gold of the temple, the oath is binding. Foolish and blind creatures! for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity.

So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Fill up, then, the [allotted] measure of the guilt of your fathers’ sins.

You serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?

So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

I tell you the truth, this generation will be held responsible for all these things!

See, your house will now be left to you desolate!

for I say unto you, Ye shall in no wise see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed be he that comes in the name of the Lord.

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

For people will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and a number will be turned from the true way through them.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All this, however, will be but the beginning of the birth pangs!

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

and many false prophets shall be raised up and deceive many,

And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

if any man be in the field, let him not return back to take his coat.

But it will be hard for women who are with child and for those with babies at the breast in those days.

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

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 as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then the sign of the Son of man will be seen in heaven: and then all the nations of the earth will have sorrow, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And He will send out His angels [i.e., as messengers] with the sound of a great trumpet [See I Thess. 4:16] to gather His elect [i.e., God's people] from all directions, [even] from throughout the whole world. [Note: See Mark 13:27, which suggests this thought by its use of 'earth' and 'sky']

Now, from the fig-tree, learn ye, the parable: - When, already, her young branch, becometh tender, and the leaves, may be sprouting, ye observe, that, near, is, the summer:

So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

“So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

If there be any faithful servant and wise, whom his master hath made ruler over his household, for to give them meat in season convenient;

Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so.

Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all things being possessed by him.

But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’

And begin to be striking his fellow-servants, and eating and drinking with the drunken,

And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And, at midnight, an outcry hath been made - Lo! the bridegroom! Be going forth to meet him!

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come].

For it will be as when a man going abroad called his own servants, and intrusted to them his property;

“The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.