Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



For [remember that] some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone [important], and that about four hundred people rallied [to his cause], but he was killed and all his men left him and nothing ever came of it. Later on another man, named Judas of Galilee, appeared during the census [Note: The time and circumstances of this census were probably known to the original readers], and led [a group of] people away after him, but he also was killed and all of his followers were scattered.

And Jesus answered them, "Pay attention so that no one leads you astray [from the truth]. For many [false teachers] will come, claiming to be me, and saying, 'I am the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one]' and they will lead many people away [from the truth].

Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is Christ,' or 'There [he is],' do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will perform great [miraculous] signs and [supernatural] wonders in order to lead astray even the elect [i.e., God's people], if possible. You see, I have told you [all this] ahead of time. read more.
Therefore, if people say to you, 'Look, he [i.e., Christ. See verse 23] is in the desert,' do not go out there. [Or if they say], 'Look, he is in an inside room,' do not believe him.

Then Jesus began saying to them, "Pay attention so that no one leads you astray [i.e., from the truth]. [For] many [false teachers] will come, claiming to be me, and saying, 'I am [the Christ] and they will lead many people astray.

And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is Christ,' or 'Look, there He is,' do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will perform [miraculous] signs and [supernatural] wonders in order to lead astray [even] the elect, if possible. But pay attention, for I have told you [all this] ahead of time.

And people will be saying to you, 'Look, there [He is]! Look, here [He is]! Do not leave or follow after them. For the Son of man [will come] in His day just like lightning which flashes from one part of the sky and lights up the other part.

And He replied, "Pay attention, so that you are not led astray [from the truth]. For many [false teachers] will come, claiming to be me, and saying, 'I am [the Christ],' and 'The time is near.' [But] do not go after them.


And when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus answered them, "The kingdom of God will not come the way you are looking for it. People will not be saying, 'Look, here [it is]!' or 'There [it is]!' For in fact, the kingdom of God is [now] among you [i.e., as represented by the presence and ministry of Jesus]." Then He said to the disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of man [i.e., the time when the Messiah would deliver His people from tribulation], but you will not see it [i.e., such deliverance would not occur during their lifetimes]. read more.
And people will be saying to you, 'Look, there [He is]! Look, here [He is]! Do not leave or follow after them. For the Son of man [will come] in His day just like lightning which flashes from one part of the sky and lights up the other part. But first He must experience much suffering and be rejected by the people of this generation. "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of man. People were eating and drinking and [men were] marrying and [women] were being given away in marriage [right up] until the day that Noah entered the ship and the Flood came and drowned them all. "It happened in a similar way in the days of Lot [i.e., Abraham's nephew]. People were eating and drinking and buying and selling and planting and building. But on the day that Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from the sky and consumed them all. "It will be the same way on the day the Son of man is revealed [i.e., at His second coming]. On that day, the person who is on a housetop [Note: This was a flat area where people retired for rest, prayer, etc., with its stairway on the outside], whose belongings are [still] in his house, is not to go down and [attempt to] take any of them away. And the person who is in a field [i.e., doing farm work], also is not to return [to his house]. Remember [what happened to] Lot's wife! Whatever person tries to gain [everything to satisfy him in] life [here on earth] will lose it [i.e., never ending life]. But whatever person [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] his life [here on earth] will preserve it [for eternity]. I tell you, on that night [i.e., when Jesus returns. See verse 30], there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken [i.e., to be with the Lord] while the other one will be left [i.e., to be punished by the Lord]. There will be two women grinding grain together [Note: This was done with a hand-operated millstone where two persons sat across from each other and rotated a circular stone over kernels of grain]; one will be taken while the other one will be left. {{Some ancient manuscripts include verse There will be two men in a field [i.e., doing farm work]; one will be taken [i.e., to be with the Lord], while the other one will be left [i.e., to be punished by the Lord]." See Matt. 24:40}} And they asked Jesus, "Where [will this happen], Lord?" And He answered them, "Wherever there is a [dead] body [you will see] vultures gathered there also."





For the Son of man [will come] in His day just like lightning which flashes from one part of the sky and lights up the other part. But first He must experience much suffering and be rejected by the people of this generation.