Chapter 69 of 257

29 “And immediately after the tribulation of those days,

And unless those days had been shortened, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.

“At that time if anyone should say to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘Here he is,’ do not believe him! 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you ahead of time! 26 Therefore if they say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it! 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from heaven,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’

30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other end of it.

32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the door. 34 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place! 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. 39 And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming! 43 But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.

whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved. 11 And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.

And he performs great signs, so that he even causes fire from heaven to come down to the earth before people. 14 And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived.

For indeed, Jews ask for sign miracles and Greeks seek wisdom,

But as many signs as he had performed before them, they did not believe in him, 38 in order that the word of the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

“Lord, who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 For this reason they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their hearts,

lest they see with their eyes

and understand with their hearts

and turn, and I heal them.”

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.

42 Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue. 43 For they loved the praise of men more than praise from God.

44 But Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, 45 and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, in order that everyone who believes in me will not remain in the darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I will not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has one who judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken from myself, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So the things that I say, just as the Father said to me, thus I say.”

For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are the spirits of demons performing signs that go out to the kings of the whole inhabited world, to gather them for the battle of the great day of God the All-Powerful. 15 (Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is on the alert and who keeps his clothing, so that he does not walk around naked and they see his shamefulness!) 16 And he gathered them to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and the one seated on it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and makes war. 12 Now his eyes were a flame of fire, and on his head were many royal headbands having a name written that no one except he himself knows. 13 And he was dressed in an outer garment dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 And the armies that are in heaven, dressed in clean, white fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he could strike the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the wine of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 And he has a name written on his outer garment and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

“Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings,

and the flesh of military tribunes,

and the flesh of the powerful,

and the flesh of horses and those seated on them,

and the flesh of all people,

both free and slave,

and small and great!”

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs before him, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. 21 And the rest were killed by the sword of the one who is seated on the horse—the sword that comes out of his mouth—and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

“Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings,

and the flesh of military tribunes,

and the flesh of the powerful,

and the flesh of horses and those seated on them,

and the flesh of all people,

both free and slave,

and small and great!”

19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with the one who is seated on the horse and with his army.

“And immediately after the tribulation of those days,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from heaven,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see him,

even every one who pierced him,

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him.

Yes, amen.

And then on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations coming against Jerusalem.

10 “ ‘I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look to me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn over him, as one wails over an only child, and they will grieve bitterly over him as one grieves bitterly over a firstborn. 11 On that day the wailing will be great in Jerusalem, like the wailing for Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 And the land shall mourn, each clan by itself; the clan of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the clan of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the clan of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all those clans remaining, each clan by itself, and their wives by themselves.’ ”

And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other end of it.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other end of it.

Blow the trumpet in Zion,

and sound the alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,

for the day of Yahweh is coming

—it is indeed near.

2 A day of darkness and gloom,

a day of cloud and thick darkness,

like the dawn spreads on the mountains,

a great and strong army!

There has been nothing like it from old,

and after it nothing will be again for generations to come.

3 Before them a fire devours,

and behind them a flame burns.

Like the garden of Eden is the land before them,

and after them it is like a desolate desert,

and nothing can escape them.

4 Like the appearance of horses is their appearance,

and like horsemen they run;

5 like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap about;

like the sound of a flame of fire

devouring stubble;

like a strong army arranged

in rows for battle.

6 From before them nations writhe,

all faces turn pale.

7 They run like mighty warriors,

they scale the wall like men of war;

each goes on its own way,

and they do not swerve from their paths.

8 They do not jostle one another;

each goes on its own trail;

and through the falling weapons,

they are not halted.

9 In the city they rush forth;

on the walls they run.

Into the houses they climb up;

through the windows

they enter like a thief.

10 Before them the earth quakes;

the heavens tremble;

the sun and the moon grow dark,

and the stars have withheld their splendor

11 And Yahweh utters his voice before his army,

because his encampment is very large;

strong is the one who carries out his decree,

for great is the day of Yahweh

and exceedingly fearful.

Who can endure it?

12 “And even now,” declares Yahweh,

“return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, and weeping, and wailing.”

13 Rend your hearts and not your garments,

and return to Yahweh your God,

because he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and great in loyal love,

and relenting from harm.

14 Who knows whether he will turn and relent,

and leave a blessing behind him,

an offering and a libation,

for Yahweh your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,

sanctify a fast, call an assembly;

16 gather the people, consecrate the assembly;

assemble the elders, gather the children,

even those who are breast-feeding;

let the bridegroom come out from his private room,

and the bride from her canopy.

17 Between the colonnade and the altar,

let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep.

And let them say, “Take pity, Yahweh, on your people.

Do not make your inheritance a reproach,

a byword among the nations.

Why should they say among the nations,

‘Where is their God?’ ”

18 Then Yahweh became jealous for his land

and took pity on his people.

19 And Yahweh answered and said to his people,

“Look at me, I am sending to you

grain, new wine, and olive oil,

and you will be satisfied by it.

I will not give you over any more

as a disgrace among the nations.

20 The northerners

I will remove from you;

I will drive them to a desert

and desolate land,

its front to the eastern sea,

and its rear into the western sea;

its stench and odor will rise up

because he has done great things.

21 Do not fear, O land,

rejoice and be glad,

because Yahweh has done great things.

22 Do not fear, wild animals of the field,

because the pastures of the desert have put forth new green shoots,

because the tree has produced its fruit,

the fig tree and the vine

have yielded their produce.

23 Be glad, O children of Zion,

be glad and rejoice in Yahweh your God,

because he has given for you

the autumn rains for your righteousness,

and he has poured down for you rainwater,

the autumn and spring rains, as before.

24 The threshing floors will be full with grain,

and the vats will overflow

with new wine and olive oil.

25 I will repay you the years

that the locust has eaten,

the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,

my mighty troops that I sent against you.

26 And you will eat abundantly and be satisfied,

and praise the name of Yahweh your God,

who has dealt with you wondrously.

My people will never be ashamed.

27 And you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,

and I am Yahweh,

your God, and there is no other.

My people will never be ashamed again.

28 And it will happen afterward thus:

I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your elders will dream dreams;

your young men shall see visions.

29 And also on the male slaves and on the female slaves,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

30 And I will set wonders in the heavens, and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun will be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. 32 And it will happen—everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be rescued, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh said, and among the survivors whom Yahweh is calling.

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the Israelites, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a rest period, a remembrance of the trumpet blast, a holy assembly. 25 You must not do any regular work, and you shall present an offering made by fire to Yahweh.’ ”

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For it is necessary for this perishable body to put on incorruptibility, and this mortal body to put on immortality. 54 But whenever this perishable body puts on incorruptibility and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 So then, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not grieve as also the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

“And after the sixty and two weeks an anointed one shall be cut off, and he shall have nothing, and the people of the coming leader will destroy the city and the sanctuary, and its end will be with the flood and on to the end there shall be war; these desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering and in its place a desolating abomination comes even until the determined complete destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

And he will make a strong covenant with the many for one week, but in half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering and in its place a desolating abomination comes even until the determined complete destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and who exalts himself over every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God.

For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will happen.

17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

“Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings,

and the flesh of military tribunes,

and the flesh of the powerful,

and the flesh of horses and those seated on them,

and the flesh of all people,

both free and slave,

and small and great!”

17 And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead,

“Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,

18 in order that you may eat the flesh of kings,

and the flesh of military tribunes,

and the flesh of the powerful,

and the flesh of horses and those seated on them,

and the flesh of all people,

both free and slave,

and small and great!”

And I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat down on them, and authority to judge was granted to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and did not receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.) This is the first resurrection.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone.

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the door. 34 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place! 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

Like the grapes in the wilderness,

I found Israel.

Like early ripened fruit on the fig tree in the first season,

I saw your ancestors.

They themselves came to Baal Peor,

and they consecrated themselves to shame.

And they became detestable things,

like the thing they love.

And he told this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find any. Cut it down! Why should it even exhaust the soil?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming year, so much the better, but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

But when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!”

For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. 39 And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming!

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 And Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah three hundred years, and fathered sons and daughters. 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him.

By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he did not experience death, and he was not found, because God took him up. For before his removal, he had been approved as having been pleasing to God.

and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, the one who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need of anything to be written to you, 2 for you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord is coming in the same way as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever they say “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will overtake them like the birth pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not possibly escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

6 So then, we must not sleep like the rest, but must be on the alert and be self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But because we are of the day, we must be sober, by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation, 9 because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him.

And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

And they did not know anything until the deluge came and swept them all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be.

Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming! 43 But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and rule over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them beyond all measure in love, because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, console the discouraged, help the sick, be patient toward all people. 15 See to it that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue good toward one another and toward all people.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but examine all things; hold fast to what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, who also will do this.

25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord, have this letter read aloud to all the brothers. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will disappear with a rushing noise, and the celestial bodies will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth and the deeds done on it will be disclosed. 11 Because all these things are being destroyed in this way, what sort of people must you be in holy behavior and godliness, 12 while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by being burned up and the celestial bodies will melt as they are consumed by heat! 13 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness resides.

14 Therefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him. 15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him, 16 as he does also in all his letters, speaking in them about these things, in which there are some things hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, because you know this beforehand, guard yourselves so that you do not lose your own safe position because you have been led away by the error of lawless persons. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

And unless those days had been shortened, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.

And the fourth angel blew the trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened, and the day did not shine with respect to a third of it, and the night likewise.

and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, the one who delivers us from the coming wrath.

because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live at the same time with him.

I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying, “Through many persecutions it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.”

But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away for a long time,’

And when the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

Now after a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you as a guest, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ 40 And the king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will also say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat, I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me.’ 44 Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many. 6 And you are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name. 10 And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another, 11 and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many, 12 and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place” (let the one who reads understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 17 The one who is on his housetop must not come down to take things out of his house, 18 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to pick up his cloak. 19 And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight may not happen in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will happen. 22 And unless those days had been shortened, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.

23 “At that time if anyone should say to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘Here he is,’ do not believe him! 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you ahead of time! 26 Therefore if they say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it! 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

29 “And immediately after the tribulation of those days,

‘the sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will fall from heaven,

and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’

Give no offense both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God,

For a child has been born for us;

a son has been given to us.

And the dominion will be on his shoulder,

and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor,

and our God’s day of vengeance,

to comfort all those in mourning,

For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world in order that he should judge the world, but in order that the world should be saved through him. 18 The one who believes in him is not judged, but the one who does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

“Father, those whom you have given to me—I want that those also may be with me where I am, in order that they may see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will praise God.”

12 So each one of us will give an account concerning himself.

so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore indeed we have as our ambition, whether at home in the body or absent from the body, to be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we are attempting to persuade people, but we are revealed to God, and I hope to be revealed in your consciences.

Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must direct his attention to how he is building upon it. 11 For no one is able to lay another foundation than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, 13 the work of each one will become evident. For the day will reveal it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the work of each one, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built upon it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but so as through fire.

“Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household slaves to give them their food at the right time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he comes back. 47 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away for a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and at an hour that he does not know, 51 and will cut him in two and assign his place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the household of faith.

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God,

Therefore I, your fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a sharer of the glory that is going to be revealed, exhort the elders among you: 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God, and not greedily but eagerly, 3 and not as lording it over those under your care, but being examples for the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you; considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.

And he said to them, “For this reason every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of the house who brings out of his storeroom new things and old things.”

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

Now while they were listening to these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12 Therefore he said, “A certain nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 And summoning ten of his own slaves, he gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business until I come back.’ 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’ 15 And it happened that when he returned after receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading. 16 So the first arrived, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small thing, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 So he said to this one also, ‘And you be over five cities.’ 20 And another came, saying, ‘Sir, behold your mina, which I had put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man—you withdraw what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow!’ 22 He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, wicked slave! You knew that I am a severe man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 And why did you not give my money to the bank, and I, when I returned, would have collected it with interest?’ 24 And to the bystanders he said, ‘Take away from him the mina and give it to the one who has the ten minas!’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!’ ”

28 And after he had said these things, he traveled on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it happened that when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, to the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, ‘Go into the village in front of you, in which as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no person has ever sat, and untie it and bring it. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34 So they said, ‘The Lord has need of it.’ 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they put Jesus on it. 36 And as he was going along, they were spreading out their cloaks on the road. 37 Now as he was drawing near by this time to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the king,

the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 And he answered and said, “I tell you that if these keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

41 And when he approached and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known on this day—even you—the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you and your enemies will put up an embankment against you, and will surround you and press you hard from all directions. 44 And they will raze you to the ground, you and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

45 And he entered into the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘And my house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a cave of robbers!”

47 And he was teaching every day in the temple courts, and the chief priests and the scribes and the most prominent men of the people were seeking to destroy him. 48 And they did not find anything they could do, because all the people were paying close attention to what they were hearing from him.

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