The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given (A)a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure (B)the court outside the temple; leave that out, for (C)it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for (D)forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for (E)1,260 days, (F)clothed in sackcloth.”

These are (G)the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, (H)fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, (I)this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power (J)to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and (K)to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, (L)the beast that rises from (M)the bottomless pit[a] (N)will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically[b] is called (O)Sodom and (P)Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and (Q)refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and (R)those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and (S)exchange presents, because these two prophets (T)had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days (U)a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, (V)“Come up here!” And (W)they went up to heaven (X)in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And at that hour there was (Y)a great earthquake, and (Z)a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and (AA)gave glory to (AB)the God of heaven.

14 (AC)The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.

The Seventh Trumpet

15 Then (AD)the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and (AE)there were loud voices in heaven, saying, (AF)“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of (AG)his Christ, and (AH)he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders (AI)who sit on their thrones before God (AJ)fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    (AK)who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
    and (AL)begun to reign.
18 The nations raged,
    but (AM)your wrath came,
    and (AN)the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
    and (AO)those who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and (AP)for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

19 Then (AQ)God's temple in heaven was opened, and (AR)the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings,[c] peals of thunder, an earthquake, and (AS)heavy hail.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:7 Or the abyss
  2. Revelation 11:8 Greek spiritually
  3. Revelation 11:19 Or voices, or sounds

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

24 (A)Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, (B)there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

As he sat on (C)the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him (D)privately, saying, “Tell us, (E)when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your (F)coming and of (G)the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, (H)“See that no one leads you astray. For (I)many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am (J)the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you (K)are not alarmed, for this (L)must take place, but the end is not yet. For (M)nation will rise against nation, and (N)kingdom against kingdom, and there will be (O)famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of (P)the birth pains.

“Then (Q)they will deliver you up (R)to tribulation and (S)put you to death, and (T)you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away[a] and (U)betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many (V)false prophets will arise (W)and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, (X)the love of many will grow cold. 13 (Y)But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom (Z)will be proclaimed throughout the whole world (AA)as a testimony (AB)to all nations, and (AC)then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation (AD)spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in (AE)the holy place ((AF)let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 (AG)Let the one who is on (AH)the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And (AI)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be (AJ)great tribulation, (AK)such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for (AL)the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 (AM)Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For (AN)false christs and (AO)false prophets will arise and (AP)perform great signs and wonders, (AQ)so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, (AR)I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, (AS)he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 (AT)For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be (AU)the coming of the Son of Man. 28 (AV)Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

29 “Immediately after (AW)the tribulation of those days (AX)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and (AY)the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then (AZ)will appear in heaven (BA)the sign of the Son of Man, and then (BB)all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and (BC)they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (BD)with power and great glory. 31 And (BE)he will send out his angels with a loud (BF)trumpet call, and they will (BG)gather (BH)his elect from (BI)the four winds, (BJ)from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, (BK)at the very gates. 34 (BL)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 (BM)Heaven and earth will pass away, but (BN)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

36 “But concerning that day and hour (BO)no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, (BP)nor the Son,[b] (BQ)but the Father only. 37 (BR)For as were the days of Noah, (BS)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 (BT)For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, (BU)marrying and giving in marriage, until (BV)the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, (BW)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 (BX)Two women will be grinding (BY)at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, (BZ)stay awake, for you do not know on what day (CA)your Lord is coming. 43 (CB)But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night (CC)the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be (CD)ready, for (CE)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is (CF)the faithful and (CG)wise servant,[c] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 (CH)Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, (CI)he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master (CJ)is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants[d] and eats and drinks with (CK)drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come (CL)on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place (CM)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 24:10 Or stumble
  2. Matthew 24:36 Some manuscripts omit nor the Son
  3. Matthew 24:45 Or bondservant; also verses 46, 48, 50
  4. Matthew 24:49 Or bondservants

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