Destruction of the Temple Predicted
1As Jesus left and was going out of the temple complex, Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-36 His disciples Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; 12:16 came up and called His attention to the temple buildings.
2Then He replied to them, “Don’t you see all these things? I assure you: Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down! ”
Signs of the End of the Age
3While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age? ” Mt 21:1; 24:27,37,39
4Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives Jr 29:8; Eph 5:6; Col 2:8; 2Th 2:3 you.
5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. Mt 1:17; Eph 5:2
6You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet.
7For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines Other mss add epidemics Ac 11:28; Rv 6:8 and earthquakes in various places. 2Ch 15:6; Is 19:2
Persecutions Predicted
9“Then they will hand you over for persecution, Or tribulation, or distress and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. Mt 10:17,22; Jn 16:2
10Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.
11Many false prophets Is 44:25; Mt 7:15; 24:24; Mk 13:22; Lk 6:26; Ac 13:6; 2Pt 2:1; 1Jn 4:1 will rise up and deceive many.
14This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world Or in all the inhabited earth as a testimony to all nations. Mt 4:23; Rm 10:18; Col 1:6,23; 1Th 1:8 And then the end will come. Lk 2:1; 4:5; Ac 11:28; 17:6; Rv 3:10; 16:14
The Great Tribulation
15“So when you see the abomination that causes desolation, Or abomination of desolation, or desolating sacrilege Dn 9:27 spoken of by the prophet Daniel, Dn 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mk 13:14; Lk 21:20 standing in the holy place” Ac 6:13; 21:28 (let the reader understand These are, most likely, Matthew’s words to his readers.),
16“then those in Judea must flee to the mountains!
17A man on the housetop Or roof must not come down to get things out of his house. 1Sm 9:25; Mt 10:27; Lk 5:19; 12:3; 17:31; Ac 10:9
18And a man in the field must not go back to get his clothes.
19Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!
20Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
21For at that time there will be great tribulation, Dn 12:1; Jl 2:2; Mt 24:29; Rv 7:14 the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again!
22Unless those days were limited, no one would Lit short, all flesh would not survive. Or be saved or delivered But those days will be limited because of the elect. Mt 22:14; 24:24,31; Mk 13:20,22,27; 1Tm 5:21; 2Tm 2:10; Rv 17:14
23“If anyone tells you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah! ’ Lk 17:3; 21:28 or, ‘Over here! ’ do not believe it! Mk 11:24; Jn 6:64
24False messiahs Or False christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, Dt 13:1-3; Mt 24:11; Ac 8:9; 2Th 2:9-11; Rv 13:13-14; 16:14; 19:20 if possible, even the elect.
25Take note: I have told you in advance.
26So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness! ’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms! ’ do not believe it.
27For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Zch 9:14; Mt 8:20; 24:3,37,39; Lk 17:24
The Coming of the Son of Man
29“Immediately after the tribulation Is 13:10; 24:23; Ezk 32:7; Jl 2:10,31; 3:15; Zph 1:15; Rv 6:12-13 of those days:
The sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not shed its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the celestial powers will be shaken.
30“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth Or all the tribes of the land will mourn; Lit will beat ; that is, beat their breasts and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Dn 7:13; Zch 12:12; Mt 24:3; Rv 1:7
31He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet, Is 27:13; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16; Rv 8:2; 11:15 and they will gather His elect from the four winds, Dn 7:2; Zch 2:6; Rv 7:1 from one end of the sky to the other.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32“Now learn this parable Mt 13:3,34-36; 15:15; 21:33,45; 22:1 from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.
33In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize Or things, you know that He Or it ; that is, summer is near — at the door! Jms 5:9; Rv 3:20
34I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place. Mt 10:23; 16:28; 23:36
35Heaven and earth will pass away, Ps 102:26; Is 51:6; Mt 5:18; Heb 12:27; 2Pt 3:10 but My words will never pass away. Ps 119:89; Is 40:8; Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33; 1Pt 1:23,25
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36“Now concerning that day and hour no one knows — neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son Other mss omit nor the Son — except the Father only. Zch 14:7; Mt 25:13; Mk 13:32; Ac 1:7; 1Th 5:1-2
37As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.
38For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. Gn 6:5; 7:6-23; Mt 22:30; Lk 17:26
39They didn’t know They didn’t know the day and hour of the coming judgment. until the flood came and swept them all away. So this is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be:
40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left.
41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left. Ex 11:5; Is 47:2; Lk 17:35
42Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day Other mss read hour ; = time your Lord is coming. Mt 25:13; Lk 12:40; 21:36
43But know this: If the homeowner had known what time Lit watch ; a division of the night in ancient times the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. Lk 12:39; 1Th 5:2; Rv 3:3
44This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Mt 25:10; 1Th 5:6
Faithful Service to the Messiah
45“Who then is a faithful and sensible slave, Lk 12:42-46 whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time? Mt 7:24; 10:16; 25:2,21
47I assure you: He will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48But if that wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’
49and starts to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, Ac 2:15; 1Co 11:21; 1Th 5:7; Rv 17:6
50that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know.
51He will cut him to pieces Lit him in two and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®
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by Holman Bible Publishers
