Matthew 24:15-28

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Desolating Sacrilege

¹⁵ “So when you see the desolating sacrilege, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),^{(A) 16} then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; ¹⁷ the one on the housetop must not go down to take things from the house; ¹⁸ the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. ¹⁹ Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.^{(B) 22} And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.^{(C) 23} Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’^[a] or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it.^{(D) 24} For false messiahs^[b] and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.^{(E) 25} Take note, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^{(F) 28} Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.