Matthew 24:21-51

English Standard Version

²¹For then there will be ^(A)great tribulation, ^(B)such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. ²²And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for ^(C)the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. ²³^(D)Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴For ^(E)false christs and ^(F)false prophets will arise and ^(G)perform great signs and wonders, ^(H)so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵See, ^(I)I have told you beforehand. ²⁶So, if they say to you, ‘Look, ^(J)he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷^(K)For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be ^(L)the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸^(M)Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹“Immediately after ^(N)the tribulation of those days ^(O)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and ^(P)the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰Then ^(Q)will appear in heaven ^(R)the sign of the Son of Man, and then ^(S)all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and ^(T)they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven ^(U)with power and great glory. ³¹And ^(V)he will send out his angels with a loud ^(W)trumpet call, and they will ^(X)gather ^(Y)his elect from ^(Z)the four winds, ^(AA)from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

³²“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, ^(AB)at the very gates. ³⁴^(AC)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵^(AD)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(AE)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

³⁶“But concerning that day and hour ^(AF)no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, ^(AG)nor the Son,^[a] ^(AH)but the Father only. ³⁷^(AI)For as were the days of Noah, ^(AJ)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸^(AK)For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, ^(AL)marrying and giving in marriage, until ^(AM)the day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, ^(AN)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹^(AO)Two women will be grinding ^(AP)at the mill; one will be taken and one left. ⁴²Therefore, ^(AQ)stay awake, for you do not know on what day ^(AR)your Lord is coming. ⁴³^(AS)But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night ^(AT)the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also must be ^(AU)ready, for ^(AV)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

⁴⁵“Who then is ^(AW)the faithful and ^(AX)wise servant,^[b] whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶^(AY)Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷Truly, I say to you, ^(AZ)he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁸But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master ^(BA)is delayed,’ ⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow servants^[c] and eats and drinks with ^(BB)drunkards, ⁵⁰the master of that servant will come ^(BC)on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know ⁵¹and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place ^(BD)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.