Temple Destruction Foretold

(Mark 13:1-9; Luke 21:5-9)

1And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto 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?

4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.

False Christs

5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8But all these things are the beginning of travail.

Witnessing to All Nations

(Mark 13:10-13; Luke 21:10-19)

9Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. 12And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. 13But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.

The Abomination of Desolation

(Mark 13:14-23; Luke 21:20-24)

15When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand), 16then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: 17let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: 18and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloke. 19But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! 20And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath: 21for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25Behold, I have told you beforehand.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28)

26If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 28Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29But immediately, after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall 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: 30and 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 on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send forth 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.

The lesson of the Fig Tree

(Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33)

32Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 33even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Be Ready at Any Hour

(Genesis 6:1-7; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:35-48)

36But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. 37And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 38For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 40Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: 41two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.

42Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. 48But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth; 49and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; 50the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, 51and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.