³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives,^(A) the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming^(B) and of the end of the age?”^(C)

⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.^{(D) 5} For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.^{(E) 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.^(F) There will be famines^(G) and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted^(H) and put to death,^(I) and you will be hated by all nations because of me.^{(J) 10} At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets^(K) will appear and deceive many people.^{(L) 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.^{(M) 14} And this gospel of the kingdom^(N) will be preached in the whole world^(O) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place^(P) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^[a](Q) 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^(R) 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!^{(S) 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.^(T)

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect^(U) 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.^{(V) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders^(W) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

⁷ “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

⁸ He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.^{(A) 9} When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^{(B) 11} There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.^(C)

¹² “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³ And so you will bear testimony to me.^{(D) 14} But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.^{(E) 15} For I will give you^(F) words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends,^(G) and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ Everyone will hate you because of me.^{(H) 18} But not a hair of your head will perish.^{(I) 19} Stand firm, and you will win life.^(J)

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,^(K) you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.^{(L) 22} For this is the time of punishment^(M) in fulfillment^(N) of all that has been written. ²³ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled^(O) on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.