The return of Yeshua/Jesus, judgement and new creation

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.

6 So when they were next gathered together, they asked him, “Master, is this now the time when you’ll be restoring the kingdom to Yisrael (Israel)?”[fn]

7 But Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) responded to them, “You don’t need to know the times or seasons when future events will happen—it’s the father who decides all that. 8 However, you all will be receiving power when the holy spirit lands on you. Then you’ll tell people about me in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and all across the provinces of Yehudah (Judea) and Shomron (Samaria), and all the way to the furthest parts of the planet.”[ref] 9 After he’d said that and while they were still looking at him, he was lifted up into the sky until they could no longer see him because of the clouds.[ref]

10 As they stood there staring into the sky after he’d gone, suddenly two men in white clothes were standing beside them 11 and said, “You men from Galil! Why are you still standing there looking up at the sky? This Yeshua who’s been taken up away from you into heaven will come back in the same way that you saw him go up into heaven.”

13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, about those who’ve died so that you won’t mourn like others who don’t have any hope, 14 because if we believe that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) died and came back to life, then we can also believe that when he returns, Yeshua will be bringing with him those who have died. 15 So this is what we’re saying in Yahweh’s message: those who are still living when the master returns, we certainly won’t precede those who’ve already died[ref] 16 because there’ll be an announcement from the archangel and God’s trumpet will sound and then the master will come down from heaven with a loud shout. The dead believers in Messiah will come to life again first,[ref] 17 then we who are still alive will be pulled up into the clouds together with them to meet the master in the air, and from then will always remain with Yahweh. 18 So when someone dies, comfort each other with those truths.

12 The one who looked like a human also told me: At that time Mika’el (Michael), the powerful prince who stands guard over your people, will become active.[ref] There’ll be a time of distress such as never has been since there was a nation until that time,[ref] but at that time your people will be rescued—everyone whose name is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who’ve already been buried will come back to life—some to go on and live forever, and some to endure shame and everlasting contempt.[ref] 3 Those who have insight will shine like the brightness of the Milky Way, and those who lead many people to righteousness, like the stars shining forever.

31 “But when the son of humanity comes in his glory and all the messengers with him,[ref] then he’ll sit down on his splendid throne[ref] 32 and all the nations will be gathered together in front of him. He’ll separate them all from each other, just like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 Then the sheep will be standing on his right, and the goats on his left 34 and the king will say to the sheep on his right, ‘Come all of you who’ve been blessed by my father. Now you’ll inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for you since the creation of the world 35 because I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you accommodated me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to see me.’ 37 Then those godly people will ask, ‘Master, when did we ever see you hungry and we fed you, or thirsty and we gave you a drink? 38 And when did we see you as a stranger and accommodate you, or naked and we clothed you? 39 And when did we see you in prison, and we came to see you?’ 40 Then the king will answer them, ‘I can assure you that whenever you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, then you did it to me.’

41 “Then the king will also speak to the ones on his left, ‘Get away from me you who are cursed. You’ll go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his messengers. 42 Because I was hungry and you didn’t give me anything to eat, I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t offer me shelter, I was naked and you didn’t give me any clothes, and I was sick and in prison and you never visited me.’ 44 Then they’ll also respond, ‘Master, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger or naked, or sick or in prison and we didn’t help you?’ 45 ‘I can assure you,’ the king answered, ‘that whenever you failed to help even one of the least of these others, you failed to serve me.’ 46 Then this group will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the guiltless ones will receive eternal life.”[ref]

11 Then I saw a large white throne with someone sitting on it.[ref] Earth and sky fled from his presence but they couldn’t find where to go. 12 Then I saw the dead—both prominent people and the lowly—standing before the throne, and some books were opened and then another book was opened—the book of life.[ref] Then the dead were judged from the things written in the books according to what they’d done. 13 The sea gave up the dead in it, and ‘death’ and Haidais gave up the dead in them, and then every one of them was judged according to what they’d done. 14 Then ‘death’ and Haidais were thrown into the lake of fire. That’s the second death—the lake of fire, 15 and anyone whose name couldn’t be found in the book of life was thrown into that lake of fire.

18 I’m sure that any sufferings we experience in this age are nothing in comparison with the coming splendour that’s going to be revealed to us, 19 because all of creation is eagerly expecting and waiting for God’s children to be revealed. 20 Yes, all of creation has been subjected to lack of purpose, not willingly, but because it was decided by the one who subjected it, but it remains with the hope[ref] 21 that it too will be freed from the slavery of corruption, and then released into the freedom of the splendour of God’s children, 22 because we’re aware that all of creation is groaning and suffering[fn] along with us right through to the present time. 23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the initial tastes of the spirit life, we’re also groaning and waiting like children for our bodies to be set free from slavery,[ref] 24 because we were saved, having hope, but if you can see it then it’s not hope, because you don’t need to hope for something you can already see. 25 So we hope for what we can’t yet see, and so we have to patiently keep waiting.

21 Then I saw a new sky and a new earth,[ref] because the first sky and the first earth had gone away, and there weren’t any more oceans. 2 Then I saw the chosen city[ref]—the new Yerushalem (Jerusalem)—coming down out of heaven from God,[ref] prepared like a bride all dressed up for her husband,[ref] 3 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Listen, God will now live here with the people—he’ll live with them and they’ll be his people, and God himself will be with them.[ref] 4 He’ll wipe all their tears away from their eyes,[ref] and there won’t be any more death or grieving, or crying or pain.[ref] They won’t even exist any longer—the original world is gone.”

5 Then the one sitting on the throne said, “Listen, I’m remaking everything.” And he told me, “Write that down because these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he told me, “Everything’s done. I’m the A and the Z—the beginning and the end. I’ll freely give from the spring of the water of life to anyone who’s thirsty.[ref] 7 All of those who conquer will inherit those things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.[ref] 8 But as for the cowardly and the unbelieving, the abhorred and murderers, fornicators and sorcerers, and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”