⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^{(A) 5} For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.^{(B) 6} You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^(C) There will be famines^(D) and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted^(E) and put to death,^(F) and you will be hated by all nations because of me.^{(G) 10} At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets^(H) will appear and deceive many people.^{(I) 12} Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{(J) 14} And this gospel of the kingdom^(K) will be preached in the whole world^(L) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place^(M) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^[a](N) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the housetop^(O) go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^{(P) 20} Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.^(Q)

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect^(R) those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.^{(S) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders^(T) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning^(U) that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming^(V) of the Son of Man.^{(W) 28} Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.^(X)

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like^(A) ten virgins who took their lamps^(B) and went out to meet the bridegroom.^{(C) 2} Five of them were foolish and five were wise.^{(D) 3} The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.^(E)

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’^(F)

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.^(G) And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’^(H)

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.^(I)

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^(A)

²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[a] is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation^(A) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(B) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(C)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(D) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[b]!^(E) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(F) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(G)