And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his
disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
But he answered and said unto them, "See ye not all these things?
Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon
another, that shall not be thrown down."
And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter
and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things
are all about to be accomplished?"
And Jesus began to say unto them, "Take heed that no man lead you
astray. Many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and shall lead
many astray. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not
troubled: these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not
yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be
famines: these things are the beginning of the travail.
"But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to
councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors
and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them. And
the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations. And when they
lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand
what ye shall speak; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour,
that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. But
ye shall be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk,
and friends: and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
"And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and
shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall
lead many astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love
of the many shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same
shall be saved.
"But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her
desolation is at hand. Then let them that are in Judæa flee unto the
mountains: let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the
things that are in his house: and let him that is in the field not
return back to take his cloak. For these are days of vengeance, that
all things which are written may be fulfilled.
"But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in
those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither
on a Sabbath: for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not
been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if
any man shall say unto you, 'Lo, here is the Christ,' or, 'Here,'
believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead
astray, if possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have
told you all things beforehand. If, therefore, they shall say unto
you, 'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' go not forth: 'Behold, he is
in the inner chambers,' believe it not. For as the lightning cometh
forth from the east and is seen even unto the west, so shall be the
coming of the Son of man. Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the
eagles be gathered together.
"But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he
shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and shall
gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part
of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
"Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now
become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer
is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that
he is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation
shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that
day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither
the Son, but the Father only.
"But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day
come on you suddenly as a snare; for so shall it come upon all them
that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season,
making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things
that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
"And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of
man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took
them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. Then shall
two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left; two women
shall be grinding at the mill: one is taken, and one is left. Watch
therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.
"But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what
watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have
suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready;
for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.
"Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. It is
as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house,
and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded
also the porter to watch. Watch therefore: for ye know not when the
lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at
cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you
sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the lord hath set
over his household, to give them their food in due season? Blessed is
that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily
I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. But if
that evil servant shall say in his heart, 'My lord tarrieth;' and
shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with
the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he
expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him
asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be
the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."