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. ³³ So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, ^(A)at the very gates. ^34 (B)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ^35 (C)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(D)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day and Hour

³⁶ “But concerning that day and hour ^(E)no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, ^(F)nor the Son,^{[a] (G)}but the Father only. ^37 (H)For as were the days of Noah, ^(I)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ^38 (J)For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, ^(K)marrying and giving in marriage, until ^(L)the day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, ^(M)so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ^41 (N)Two women will be grinding ^(O)at the mill; one will be taken and one left. ⁴² Therefore, ^(P)stay awake, for you do not know on what day ^(Q)your Lord is coming. ^43 (R)But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night ^(S)the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also must be ^(T)ready, for ^(U)the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

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

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^(A)ten virgins who took their lamps^[a] and went to meet ^(B)the bridegroom.^{[b] 2} Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(C)wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom ^(D)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But ^(E)at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and ^(F)trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ^(G)those who were ready went in with him to ^(H)the marriage feast, and ^(I)the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(J)‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ^12 (K)But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^(L)I do not know you.’ ^13 (M)Watch therefore, for you ^(N)know neither the day nor the hour.

The Parable of the Talents

^14 (O)“For ^(P)it will be like a man ^(Q)going on a journey, who called his servants^[c] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^(R)talents,^[d] to another two, to another one, ^(S)to each according to his ability. Then he ^(T)went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and ^(U)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now ^(V)after a long time the master of those servants came and ^(W)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(X)faithful servant.^{[e] (Y)}You have been faithful over a little; ^(Z)I will set you over much. Enter into ^(AA)the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ^(AB)a hard man, reaping ^(AC)where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, ^(AD)you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You ^(AE)wicked and ^(AF)slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ^29 (AG)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And ^(AH)cast ^(AI)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ^(AJ)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁸ “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. ²⁹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, ^(A)at the very gates. ^30 (B)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ^31 (C)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(D)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day or Hour

³² “But concerning that day or that hour, ^(E)no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, ^(F)nor the Son, ^(G)but only the Father. ^33 (H)Be on guard, ^(I)keep awake.^[a] For you do not know when the time will come. ^34 (J)It is like a man ^(K)going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants^[b] in charge, ^(L)each with his work, and commands ^(M)the doorkeeper to stay awake. ^35 (N)Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, ^(O)in the evening, or ^(P)at midnight, or ^(Q)when the rooster crows,^[c] or ^(R)in the morning— ³⁶ lest ^(S)he come suddenly and ^(T)find you asleep. ³⁷ And what I say to you I say to all: ^(U)Stay awake.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁹ And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. ³⁰ As soon as they come out in leaf, you see ^(A)for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. ³¹ So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ^32 (B)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. ^33 (C)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(D)my words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

³⁴ “But watch yourselves ^(E)lest ^(F)your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and ^(G)cares of this life, and ^(H)that day come upon you suddenly ^(I)like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But ^(J)stay awake at all times, ^(K)praying that you may ^(L)have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and ^(M)to stand before the Son of Man.”