1 As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Rabbi, look what prodigious stones and stately buildings are here!
2 Jesus answering, said to him, You see these great buildings. They shall be so razed, that one stone will not be left upon another.
3 Afterward, as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when will this happen? and what will be the sign, when all this is to be accomplished?
5 Jesus answering them, took occasion to say, Take heed that no man seduce you;
6 for many will assume my character, saying, I am the person, and will seduce many.
7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not alarmed; for this must happen, but the end is not yet.
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be earthquakes in sundry places, and there will be famines and commotions. These are the prelude of woes.
9 But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you to councils; and you will be beaten in the synagogues, and brought before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony to them.
10 The good tidings, however, must first be published among all nations.
11 But when they conduct you, to deliver you up, have no anxiety beforehand, nor premeditate what you shall speak: but whatever shall be suggested to you in that moment, speak; for it is not you that shall speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12 Then the brother will deliver up the brother to death; and the father the child; and children will arise against their parents, and procure their death.
13 And on my account you shall be universally hated; but the man who perseveres to the end, shall be saved.
14 But when you shall see standing on forbidden ground, the desolating abomination, (reader, attend!) then let those in Judea flee to the mountains;
15 and let not him who shall be on the roof, go down into the house, nor enter it, to carry anything out of his house:
16 and let not him who shall be in the field, turn back to fetch his mantle.
17 But alas for the women with child, and for them who give suck in those days!
18 Pray, then, that your flight happen not in the winter;
19 because there shall be such affliction in those days, as has not been before, from the beginning of the world, which God created, nor shall be ever after.
20 Had the Lord assigned it a long duration, no soul could escape; but for the sake of the people whom he had elected, he has made its duration the shorter.
21 Then if any one shall say to you, Lo! the Messiah is here, or Lo! he is yonder, believe it not.
22 For false Messiahs and false prophets will arise, who will perform wonders and prodigies, in order to impose, if possible, even on the elect.
23 Be you, therefore, upon your guard: remember, I have warned you of everything.
24 But in those days, after that affliction, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall withhold her light,
25 and the stars of heaven shall fall; and the powers which are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 Then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 Then he will send his messengers, and assemble his elect from the four quarters of the world, from the extremities of heaven and earth.
28 Learn now a similitude from the fig tree. When its branches become tender, and put forth leaves, you know that the summer is nigh.
29 In like manner, when you shall see these things happen, know that he is near, even at the door.
30 Indeed, I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be accomplished.
31 For heaven and earth shall fail: but my words shall not fail.
32 But of that day, or of that hour, knows none, (not the angels; no, not the Son,) but the Father.
33 Be circumspect, be vigilant, and pray; for you know not when that time will be.
34 When a man intends to travel, he leaves his household in charge to his servants, assigns to every one his task, and orders the porter to watch.
35 Watch you, therefore; for you know not when the master of the house will return, (whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or in the morning;)
36 lest coming suddenly, he find you asleep.
37 Now what I say to you, I say to all, Watch.