Matthew 24
1 Jesus left the Temple [courtyard]. As he was walking along, [we] disciples came to him to ask him to note [how beautiful] the Temple buildings [were].
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
2 He said to us, “These buildings that you are looking at [RHQ] [are wonderful, but] I want to tell you [something about them. They will soon be completely destroyed] {[Foreign invaders will completely destroy them]}. Every stone [in these buildings] will be thrown down {they will throw down every stone in these buildings}. Not one stone will be left {They will not leave one stone} on top of another stone.”
And Jesus said to them, See ye not all these things? verily I say to you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 [Later], as Jesus was sitting alone on [the slope of] Olive [Tree] Hill, [we] disciples went to him and asked him, “When will this happen [to the buildings of the Temple? Also, tell us what will happen to indicate that you are about to] come again, and [to indicate] that this world is ending?” (aiōn g165)
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (aiōn g165)
4 Jesus replied, “[All that I will say is], be sure that no one deceives you [about what will happen]
And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 Many [people] will come and say (that I sent them/that they have my authority) [MTY]. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah’, and they will deceive many [people].
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 You will hear about wars [that are close] and wars that are far away, but do not let that trouble you. Keep in mind that [God has said that] those things must happen. But [when they happen], it will not mean that the end [of the world] has come!
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 [Groups in various] countries will fight each other, and [various] governments [will also fight] against each other. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places.
8 These things will happen first. Then there will be other things that [will happen before I return. What will happen will be like the first pains] of childbirth MET].
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 At that time [people who oppose you] will take you to [the authorities, who] will mistreat you and kill you. You will be hated by [people who live in] all nations [PRS] {[People who live in] all nations [PRS] will hate you} because [you believe in me][MTY].
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
10 Also, many [people] will stop believing [in me because of the way they will suffer]. They will betray each other and will hate each other.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 Many will come saying that they are prophets, but they will be lying, and they will deceive many people.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 Because there will be more and more [people] who will disobey [God’s] laws [PRS], many [people] will no longer [MET] love [their fellow believers] [PRS].
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall become cold.
13 But [all] those who keep on [believing in me] to the end [of their lives] will be saved.
But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
14 Furthermore, the good message about my ruling over people’s lives will be preached in every part of the world, in order that people of all ethnic groups may hear it. Then the end [of the world] will come.”
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 “[But before the world ends], the disgusting person who will defile [the] holy [Temple and cause people to abandon it will stand in the Temple. Daniel the prophet spoke and wrote] about that [long ago]. May everyone who reads [this] pay attention [to the following warning from me: ]
When therefore ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever readeth, let him understand: )
16 When you see that happen [in the Temple, those of you] who are in Judea [district] must flee to the [higher] hills!
Then let them who are in Judaea flee to the mountains:
17 Those who are outside their houses must not go back into their houses to get things [before they flee].
Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Those who are [working] in a field should not turn back to get their outer clothing [before they flee].
Neither let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 I [feel] very sorry for women who will be pregnant and women who will be nursing [their babies] in those days, [because it will be very difficult for them to run away]
And woe to them that are with child, and to them that nurse infants in those days!
20 Pray that you will not have to flee (in the winter/in the rainy season) [when it will be hard to travel]. [People who think that God never allows anyone to do any work on] our day of rest [will not help you as you flee, so] pray also that you will not have to flee on such a day,
But pray ye that your flight may not be in the winter, neither on the sabbath:
21 because people will suffer very severely [when those things happen]. People have never suffered that severely since [God] created the world until now, and no one will ever [suffer like that again].
For then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 If [God had not decided to] shorten that time [MTY] [when people will suffer so much], everyone [LIT] would die. But [he has decided to] shorten it because [he is concerned] about [the people] whom [he] has chosen.”
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 “[At that time] people will appear [who will] falsely [say that they are] the Messiah or [that they are] prophets. They will perform many kinds (of miracles/of things that ordinary people cannot do), in order to deceive people. They will even try [to see] if [it is] possible to deceive [you people whom God has] chosen. So, at that time, if someone says to you, ‘Look, here [is] the Messiah!’ or [if someone says], ‘Over there is the Messiah!’ do not believe it!
Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
For false Christs will arise, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect.
25 Do not forget [that] I have warned you about all this before [it happens].
Behold, I have told you before.
26 So if someone says to you, ‘Look, [the Messiah] is in the desolate area!’ do not go there. [Likewise, if someone says to you], ‘Look, he is in a secret room!’ do not believe [that person],
Therefore if they shall say to you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 because just like lightning flashes from the east to the west [and people everywhere can] see it [SIM], when [I], the one who came from heaven, return again, [everyone will see me].
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 [When I return, it will be as obvious to everyone as the fact that] wherever you see vultures gathering, you know that there will be an animal carcass [MET] there. (OR, Just like the vultures gather together wherever there is an animal carcass, God will punish sinful people wherever they are.)”
For wherever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 “Immediately after many people have suffered during those days, [the universe will become dark]. The sun will become dark. The moon will not shine. The stars will fall from the sky. And the powerful [objects] in the sky will be shaken. (OR, And the spiritual beings in space will be deposed.)
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun 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:
30 After that, something [will be seen] {[people will observe something]} in the sky that indicates that [I], the one who came from heaven, [am returning to the earth]. Then [unbelieving people from] all ethnic groups of the earth will [mourn because they will be afraid] of [God punishing them]. They will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming on the clouds with power and great glory [as I return to the earth].
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 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 I will send my angels [to the earth] from everywhere in the heavens. [They will be] blowing trumpets loudly. [Then] from throughout the whole earth [DOU] they will gather the people whom I have chosen.”
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 “[Now] I [want you to] learn something [from] this parable about [how] fig trees [grow]. [In this area], when the buds [of a fig tree] become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When its branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
33 Similarly, when you see all these things that I [have just described happening], you will know that [the time for me to return] is very close [MET].
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Keep this in mind: All of these events will happen before all the people who have observed the things that I have done have died.
Verily I say to you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things shall be fulfilled.
35 [You can be certain that these] things that I have told [you] about will happen. You can be more certain of that than you can be certain that the earth and sky [LIT] will continue to exist.”
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 “But neither I, nor any other person, nor any angel in heaven, knows either the day or the hour [when the things that I have told you about will happen]. Only [God, my] Father, [knows].
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 It will be like what happened when Noah lived. Until the flood came, [the people] did not know that [anything bad would happen] to them. Before the flood waters covered the earth, [the people] were eating and drinking [as usual]. Some men were marrying women and [some parents] were giving their daughters to men to marry them. They were doing all this until the day that Noah [and his family] entered the big boat. And then the flood came and drowned all [those who were not in the boat]. Similarly, [the unbelieving people will not know] when [I, the one who came from heaven], will return, [and they will not] be [expecting me].
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so also will be the coming of the Son of man.
40 When I [return], I [will not take all people up to heaven. I will take only those who trust in me. For example], two [people] will be in the fields. One of them will be taken {[I] will take one of them} up [to heaven] and the other [person] will be left {and I will leave the other [person]} [here to be punished].
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 [Similarly], two [women] will be at the mill grinding grain. One of them will be taken up [to heaven] and the other will be left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 So, because you do not know what day [I], your Lord, will return [to the earth], you need to be ready [for me to return at any time].
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh.
43 You know that if the owners of a house knew at what time in the night thieves would come, they would be awake and prevent the thieves from breaking into their houses. Similarly, I [will come just like unexpectedly as a thief].
But know this, that if the master of the house knew in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
44 So you need to be ready [for my return], because [I], the one who came from heaven, will return [to the earth] at a time when you do not expect [me to come].”
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 “Think about what every faithful and wise servant is like [RHQ]. The house owner appoints one servant to supervise the other servants. He tells him to give them food at the proper times. [Then he leaves on a long trip].
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
46 If that servant is doing that [work] when the house owner returns, [the house owner] will be very pleased with him.
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Think about this: The house owner will appoint [that one servant] to be the supervisor of all his possessions.
Verily I say to you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But a wicked servant might say to himself, ‘The owner [has been away] for a long time, [so he probably] will not return soon [and find out what I am doing.’]
But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 [So he] will begin to beat the other servants and eat and get drunk.
And shall begin to beat his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 [Then] the house owner will come back at a time when the servant does not expect him [DOU].
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 He will punish that servant severely [HYP], (OR, cut that servant into two pieces) and he will put him where (the hypocrites/the ones who only pretended to be good) are put. In that place the people cry and grind their teeth [because they suffer very much].”
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
