Temple Destruction and Other Signs (Matthew 24:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)
2 UDB Jesus said to him, "Yes, these buildings that you are looking at are wonderful, but I want to tell you something about them. They will be destroyed completely. No stone here in this temple area will remain on top of another stone." BSB BSB: “Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 UDB After they arrived at the Mount of Olives across the valley from the temple, Jesus sat down. When Peter, James, John, and Andrew were alone with him, they asked him, BSB BSB: While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,
4 UDB "Tell us, when will these things happen? What will happen to show us these things are about to take place?" BSB BSB: “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”
5 UDB Jesus replied to them, "Beware that no one deceives you concerning what will happen! BSB BSB: Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.
6 UDB Many people will come and say that I sent them. They will say, 'I am the Christ that God promised!' By falsely claiming to be the Christ, they will deceive many people. BSB BSB: Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.
7 UDB When you hear the sound of soldiers fighting battles, or when you hear news about wars that are far away, do not be troubled. These things will definitely happen. But when they do happen, do not think that God will finish all that he has planned at that time! BSB BSB: When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
8 UDB Nations will fight each other, and various kings and leaders will fight each other. There will also be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. Yet, when these things happen, people will have only just begun to suffer. These first things that they suffer will be like the first pains a woman suffers who is about to bear a child. They will suffer much more after that. BSB BSB: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
Witnessing to All Nations (Matthew 24:9–14; Luke 21:10–19)
9 UDB "Be ready for what people will do to you at that time. They will arrest you and put you on trial before groups of leaders. People will beat you in various synagogues. They will put you on trial in the presence of high government authorities. As a result, you will be able to tell them about me. BSB BSB: So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
10 UDB My followers must proclaim the good news to people in all nations before God finishes everything that he has planned. BSB BSB: And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.
11 UDB When people arrest you, do not worry about what you will say. Instead, say what God puts into your mind at that time. Then it will not be just you who will be speaking. It will be the Holy Spirit who will be speaking through you. BSB BSB: But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 UDB Some brothers and sisters will betray other brothers and sisters. Some fathers will betray their children. Some children will betray their parents so that government officials will kill their parents. BSB BSB: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
13 UDB Most people will hate you because you believe in me. But all you who continue to trust in me until your life is finished will be saved. BSB BSB: You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
The Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15–25; Luke 21:20–24)
14 UDB "Some day the detestable thing will stand where it should not stand." (Let the reader understand.) "It will defile the temple and cause people to abandon it. When you see this happen, people who are in the district of Judea should flee to higher hills." BSB BSB: So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
15 UDB Those people who are outside their houses should not enter their houses in order to get anything. BSB BSB: Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house.
16 UDB Those who are working in a field should not return to their houses in order to get additional clothes. BSB BSB: And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
17 UDB 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! BSB BSB: How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
18 UDB In those days people will suffer very severely. People have never suffered like that since the time when God first created the world until now, and people will not suffer that way again. So pray that this painful time will not happen in winter, when it will be hard to travel. BSB BSB: Pray that this will not occur in the winter.
20 UDB If the Lord had not decided that he would shorten that time when people suffer so much, everyone would die. But he has decided to shorten that time because he is concerned about the people whom he has chosen. BSB BSB: If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.
21 UDB At that time people will falsely say that they are the Christ that God promised. And some will appear claiming to be prophets from God. Then they will perform many kinds of miracles. They will even try to deceive the people whom God has chosen. So at that time if someone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ that God promised!' or if someone says, 'Look over there, he is the Christ!' do not believe it! BSB BSB: At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
23 UDB Be alert! Remember that I have warned you about all this before it happens! BSB BSB: So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.
The Return of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:26–31; Luke 21:25–28)
24 UDB "But in those days, following the time when they suffer terribly, 'the sun will become dark, and the moon will not shine; BSB BSB: But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
25 UDB the stars will fall from the sky, and all powerful things in the sky will be shaken out of their place.' BSB BSB: the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
26 UDB Then people will see me, the Son of Man, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously. BSB BSB: At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 UDB Then I will send out my angels so they can gather together the people whom God has chosen from everywhere, from the most remote places on earth. BSB BSB: And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree (Matthew 24:32–35; Luke 21:29–33)
28 UDB "Now I want you to learn something from how fig trees grow. When their branches become tender and their leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near for us. BSB BSB: Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 UDB Similarly, when you see what I have just described happening, you yourselves will know that it is very near the time for me to return. It will be as though I am already at the door. BSB BSB: So also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door.
30 UDB Keep this in mind: this generation will not die until these things take place. BSB BSB: Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
31 UDB You can be certain that these things that I have prophesied will happen. The earth and what is in the sky will one day be destroyed, but these things that I have told you will certainly happen. BSB BSB: Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Readiness at Any Hour (Matthew 24:36–51; Luke 12:35–48)
33 UDB So be ready! Always be alert, because you do not know when that time will come when all these events will happen! BSB BSB: Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come.
34 UDB When a man who wants to travel to a distant place is about to leave his house, he tells his servants that they should manage the house. He tells each one what he should do. Then he tells the doorkeeper to be ready for his return. BSB BSB: It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.
35 UDB That man must always be ready because he does not know whether his master will return in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn. Similarly, you also must always be ready because you do not know when I will return. BSB BSB: Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.
36 UDB May it not happen that when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready! BSB BSB: Otherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping.
37 UDB These words that I am saying to you disciples I am saying to everyone: Always be ready!" BSB BSB: And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”