Open English Translation MAT Chapter 24

24 As Yeshua exited the temple, he approached his followers and asked them to show him around the buildings, 2 “You can see all of this,” he said, “but I can assure you that it’ll be torn down so thoroughly that one stone won’t be left on top of another.”

3 When Yeshua was sitting on the Mount of Olive, 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 coming and of the end of this age?”

4 “Watch out in case others mislead you,” Yeshua answered, 5 “because many will come claiming to be me and saying that they’re the messiah and misleading many. 6 You will hear about wars and 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 because nations will turn against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms, plus there’ll be famines and earthquakes. 8 But all of those things are just like the beginning of labour pains.

9 [ref]“Then they’ll turn my followers in for persecution, and some will be killed. 10 Many of my followers will be caused to stumble and they’ll turn each other in and hate each other. 11 Also, many false prophets will appear and they will mislead many, 12 and as a result, lawlessness will increase and the love of many people will cool off 13 [ref]but anyone who lasts until the end will be saved. 14 This good message about God’s kingdom will be proclaimed right around the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15 [ref]“So whenever you all see the irreverent object that the prophet Daniel wrote about being placed in the holy place (anyone reading this should try to understand it), 16 those in Yudea should flee to the hills, 17 [ref]anyone outside on the flat roof shouldn’t go back inside to get things out of the house, 18 and anyone in the field shouldn’t go back to the house to get their coat. 19 It will be very difficult for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers in those days, 20 but pray that your escape won’t be in winter or on a rest day. 21 [ref]This will be followed by incredible troubles like nothing that has been observed in this world from creation until the present time, and which won’t happen like that again— 22 in fact if those days weren’t shortened, nobody would survive, however because of the chosen, those days will be shortened.

23 “Then 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 will do amazing miracles that would mislead even the chosen if possible. 25 Listen, I’m telling you all before it happens.

26 [ref]“So if they tell you all, ‘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, 27 because when humanity’s child comes, it’ll be like how the lightening goes right across the sky from one side to the other.

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

29 [ref]“But immediately after the troubles of that time, the sun will go dark and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 [ref]And then a miracle will appear in the sky as humanity’s child arrives. All the peoples of the earth will be upset and they’ll see humanity’s child arriving on the clouds in the sky with power and great splendour. 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, whenever 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 the son—only the father knows it. 37 [ref]The coming of humanity’s child will be just like it was in Noah’s time. 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 entered the barge. 39 [ref]They didn’t realise that anything was coming until the flood came and took everything away. It’ll be just like that at the coming of humanity’s child. 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 be watching, because none of you know exactly when your master will return. 43 [ref]But you do know that if the home-owner knew when the thief would come, he would be there watching and not allow the thief to break into the house. 44 Because of that, you all should also be ready because otherwise you wouldn’t realise that humanity’s child is coming at that time.

45 “As a result, we’ll see who the faithful and watchful slave is—the one who the master appointed to run all the affairs of his household. 46 That slave will be rewarded if the master finds him working faithful 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 drunkards, 50 then his master will arrive when he’s not expecting it 51 and will torture him and place him in with the hypocrites where there’ll be crying and great anguish.