⁸ Observe therefore all the commands^(A) I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,^{(B) 9} and so that you may live long^(C) in the land the Lord swore^(D) to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.^{(E) 10} The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt,^(F) from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. ¹¹ But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys^(G) that drinks rain from heaven.^{(H) 12} It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes^(I) of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.

¹³ So if you faithfully obey^(J) the commands I am giving you today—to love^(K) the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul^(L)— ¹⁴ then I will send rain^(M) on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains,^(N) so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. ¹⁵ I will provide grass^(O) in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.^(P)

¹⁶ Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.^{(Q) 17} Then the Lord’s anger^(R) will burn against you, and he will shut up^(S) the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce,^(T) and you will soon perish^(U) from the good land the Lord is giving you. ¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.^{(V) 19} Teach them to your children,^(W) talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.^{(X) 20} Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,^{(Y) 21} so that your days and the days of your children may be many^(Z) in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.^(AA)

The Branch From Jesse

¹⁰ In that day^(AO) the Root of Jesse^(AP) will stand as a banner^(AQ) for the peoples; the nations^(AR) will rally to him,^(AS) and his resting place^(AT) will be glorious.^{(AU) 11} In that day^(AV) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant^(AW) of his people from Assyria,^(AX) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,^(AY) from Cush,^[b](AZ) from Elam,^(BA) from Babylonia,^[c] from Hamath^(BB) and from the islands^(BC) of the Mediterranean.^(BD)

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth^[b] will mourn^(B) when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven,^(C) with power and great glory.^{[c] 31} And he will send his angels^(D) with a loud trumpet call,^(E) and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it^[d] is near, right at the door.^{(F) 34} Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(G) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(H)

The Day and Hour Unknown^(I)(J)

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[e] but only the Father.^{(K) 37} As it was in the days of Noah,^(L) so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,^(M) up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.^{(N) 40} Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.^{(O) 41} Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.^(P)

⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.^{(Q) 43} But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming,^(R) he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready,^(S) because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.