Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Jesus The Prophet » Foretold things to come
And they will dash thee to the ground and thy children within thee, and will not leave one stone upon another within thee; because thou hast not recognized the time of thy visitation."
Verse Concepts
When He came into full view of the city, He wept aloud over it, and exclaimed,
Verse Concepts
Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. read more.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
Coming of the lord jesus Christ » Coming of the lord
But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren, not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here. Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against, read more.
and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this? And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time. For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed, and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming. The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works-- and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie; in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.
and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this? And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time. For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed, and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming. The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works-- and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie; in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.
Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.
As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap; for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth. But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap; for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth. But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
Coming of the lord jesus Christ » Nobody other than God the father knowing exactly when the lord will come
"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.
"But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. read more.
"Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
"Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
"Keep awake therefore; for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Verse Concepts
"Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. read more.
Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen. It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake. Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn. Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep. Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"
Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen. It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake. Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn. Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep. Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"
Discerning » Discerning the times
"Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
Then He said to the people also, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'There is to be a shower;' and it comes to pass. And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be burning hot;' and it comes to pass. Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?
And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. read more.
I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
End of the world » What events signal the end of the world
Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come.
As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap; for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth. But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap; for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth. But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."
Jesus Christ » Prophet » Foretold things to come
Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. read more.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.
When He came into full view of the city, He wept aloud over it, and exclaimed, "O that at this time thou hadst known--yes even thou--what makes peace possible! But now it is hid from thine eyes. For the time is coming upon thee when thy foes will throw up around thee earthworks and a wall, investing thee and hemming thee in on every side. read more.
And they will dash thee to the ground and thy children within thee, and will not leave one stone upon another within thee; because thou hast not recognized the time of thy visitation."
And they will dash thee to the ground and thy children within thee, and will not leave one stone upon another within thee; because thou hast not recognized the time of thy visitation."
Parables » Parables of Christ » Fig-tree leafing
"Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
Redemption » When redemption will be near
As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!" "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down." He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him, read more.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?" So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you. Many will come assuming my name and saying, 'I am He;' and they will mislead many. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me. But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes. When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved. "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it; and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that it may not come in the winter. For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again; and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days. "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything. "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light; the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky. "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
When some were remarking about the Temple, how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, "As to these things which you now admire, the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down." "Rabbi, when will this be?" they asked Him, "and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place?" read more.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"See to it," He replied, "that you are not misled; for many will come assuming my name and professing, 'I am He,' or saying, 'The time is close at hand.' Do not go and follow them. But when you hear of wars and turmoils, be not afraid; for these things must happen first, but the end does not come immediately." Then He said to them, "Nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes, and in places famines and pestilence; and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from Heaven. "But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake. In the end all this will be evidence of your fidelity. "Make up your minds, however, not to prepare a defence beforehand, for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish. By your patient endurance you will purchase your lives. "But when you see Jerusalem with armies encamping round her on every side, then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand. Then let those who shall be in Judaea escape to the hills; let those who are in the city leave it, and those who are in the country not enter in. For those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written. "Alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants; for there will be great distress in the land, and anger towards this People. They will fall by the sword, or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles. And Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles, till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired. "There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars; and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows; while men's hearts are fainting for fear, and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world. For the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." And He spoke a parable to them. "See," He said, "the fig-tree and all the trees. As soon as they have shot out their leaves, you know at a glance that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, you may be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings. "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down." Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" read more.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
"Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.
The second coming of Christ » Signs preceding
Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?" "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus; "for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many. read more.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come. "Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing! In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth. But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards; the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed; he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet. For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth. "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name. Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold; but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved. And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come. "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills; let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house; nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment. And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants! "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath; for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short. "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it. For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People. Remember, I have forewarned you. If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together. "But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. "Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. At that time, before the Deluge, men were busy eating and drinking, taking wives or giving them, up to the very day when Noah entered the Ark, nor did they realise any danger till the Deluge came and swept them all away; so will it be at the Coming of the Son of Man. Then will two men be in the open country: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken away, and one left behind. Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come. "Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing! In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth. But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards; the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed; he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.