OET-RV MAT Chapter 24

24 When Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) left the temple, his apprentices approached him and pointed out the temple buildings. 2 In response, he asked, “Do you see all this? I can assure you that it’ll be torn down so thoroughly that not a single stone will be left on top of another.”

3 When Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) was sitting on the Mt. of Olives, his apprentices came up to him by themselves, asking, “Tell us when all those things will happen, and what the signs will be of your arrival and of the end of this age.”

4 ⇔“Watch out in case other people mislead you,” Yeshua answered, 5 “because many will come claiming to be me, saying that they’re the messiah, and misleading many people. 6 You’ll observe wars and hear reports about wars further away. Don’t be alarmed, but keep watching, because these things need to happen, although that’s not yet the end. 7 People groups will turn against each other, and countries rise up against one another, and there’ll be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all of those things are just like the beginning of labour pains.

9 “Then they’ll hand you apprentices over for persecution, and some of you will be killed. All the people groups will hate you because of my name.[ref] 10 They’ll cause many people to stumble and hand each other over and hate each other. 11 Also, many false prophets will appear, and they’ll mislead many people, 12 and as a result, lawlessness will increase, and many people’s love will cool off, 13 but anyone who lasts until the end will be rescued.[ref] 14 This good message about God’s kingdom will be declared right around the world as a witness statement to all the people groups, and then the end will come.

15 “So when you apprentices see the irreverent object that the prophet Daniyel wrote about being placed in the holy place[ref] (anyone reading this should try to understand it), 16 those in Yehudah (Judea) should flee to the hills, 17 anyone outside on the flat roof shouldn’t go back inside to get things out of the house,[ref] 18 and anyone in the field shouldn’t go back to the house to get their coat. 19 It’ll be very difficult for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers in those days, 20 and you should pray that your escape won’t be in winter or on a rest day. 21 That will be followed by incredible troubles like nothing that’s ever happened in this world, from creation until the present time, and which will never happen again[ref]— 22 in fact, if those days weren’t shortened, nobody would survive. However, because of the chosen people, those days will be shortened.

23 “At that time, if anyone says, ‘Look, here’s the messiah’ or ‘Here he is’, don’t believe it, 24 because false messiahs and false prophets will emerge, and they’ll do amazing miracles that would, if possible, mislead even the chosen people. 25 Listen, I’m telling you apprentices before it happens.

26 “So if they tell you apprentices, ‘Look, he’s out in the wilderness,’ don’t go out there, or if they say, ‘He’s here in these private rooms,’ don’t believe it,[ref] 27 because when the son of humanity comes, it’ll be like how the lightning goes right across the sky from one side to the other.

28 “Wherever there’s something dead, that’s where the vultures will gather.[ref]

29 “But immediately after that troubling time, the sun will go dark[ref] and the moon won’t shine.[ref] The stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly powers will be shaken.[ref] 30 And then a miracle will appear in the sky as the son of humanity arrives. All of the world’s people groups will be in turmoil, and they’ll see the son of humanity arriving on the clouds in the sky with power and massive splendour.[ref] 31 There’ll be a trumpet blast as he sends out his messengers to bring together all his chosen people from every part of the earth—from one pole to the other.

32 “So learn the parable about the fig tree: whenever its branches green up and leaves start to sprout out, you know that summer is coming. 33 In the same way, when you see all those things happening, you’ll know then that the end of this age is very close. 34 I can assure you that that generation won’t pass away until all of those things happen. 35 The sky and the earth will pass away, but my messages will certainly not pass away.

36 “No one knows the exact day or time—not even the messengers in the heavens, or even the son—only the father knows it. 37 The son of humanity’s arrival will be just like it was in Noah’s time.[ref] 38 In the days leading up to the flood, people were eating and drinking, and marrying and getting engaged—right until the very day that Noah got into the barge. 39 They didn’t realise that something was coming until the flood came and took everything away.[ref] It’ll be just like that when the son of humanity comes. 40 Two people will be working out on the farm—one will be taken and one left behind. 41 Two people will be grinding grain—one will be taken and one left behind. 42 So keep watching, because none of you know exactly when your master will return. 43 But you do know that if a home-owner knew when a thief was going to come, he’d be there watching, and not allow the thief to break into the house.[ref] 44 Because of that, you apprentices should also get ready, because otherwise you won’t realise when the son of humanity is coming.

45 “As a result, we’ll see who the faithful and watchful slave is—the one who the master appointed to run all of his household affairs. 46 That slave will be rewarded if the master finds him working faithfully when he arrives suddenly. 47 I can assure you that he’ll appoint the slave to supervise everything that he possesses. 48 But if the evil slave says to himself, ‘Ah, the master won’t be back for a long time yet,’ 49 and starts beating his fellow slaves, and spends time eating and drinking with drunks, 50 then his master will arrive when he’s not expecting it 51 and will torture him and send him off with the hypocrites to where there’ll be crying and a lot of anguish.