The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 24 -

(Mark 13:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)

And Jesus departed from the temple and went away. And his disciples approached him, so as to show him the buildings of the temple.

But he said to them in response: “Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not remain here stone upon stone, which is not torn down.”

Then, when he was seated at the Mount of Olives, the disciples drew near to him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your advent and of the consummation of the age?”

And answering, Jesus said to them: “Pay attention, lest someone lead you astray.

For many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Christ.’ And they will lead many astray.

For you will hear of battles and rumors of battles. Take care not to be disturbed. For these things must be, but the end is not so soon.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places.

But all these things are just the beginning of the sorrows.

Witnessing to All Nations

(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)

Then they will hand you over to tribulation, and they will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for the sake of my name.

And then many will be led into sin, and will betray one another, and will have hatred for one another.

And many false prophets will arise, and they will lead many astray.

And because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many will grow cold.

But whoever will have persevered until the end, the same shall be saved.

And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached throughout the entire world, as a testimony to all nations. And then the consummation will occur.

The Abomination of Desolation

(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)

Therefore, when you will have seen the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, may he who reads understand,

then those who are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains.

And whoever is on the roof, let him not descend to take anything from his house.

And whoever is in the field, let him not turn back to take his tunic.

So then, woe to those who are pregnant or nursing in those days.

But pray that your flight may not be in winter, or on the Sabbath.

For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until the present, and such as will not be.(a)

And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days shall be shortened.

Then if anyone will have said to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘he is there,’ do not be willing to believe it.

For there will arise false Christs and false prophets. And they will produce great signs and wonders, so much so as to lead into error even the elect (if this could be).

Behold, I have warned you beforehand.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)

Therefore, if they will have said to you, ‘Behold, he is in the desert,’ do not choose to go out, or, ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not be willing to believe it.

For just as lightning goes out from the east, and appears even in the west, so shall it be also at the advent of the Son of man.

Wherever the body shall be, there also will the eagles be gathered together.(b)

And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.(c)

And then the sign of the Son of man shall appear in heaven. And then all tribes of the earth shall mourn. And they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven, with great power and majesty.(d)

And he shall send out his Angels with a trumpet and a great voice. And they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the heights of the heavens, even to their furthest limits.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)

So, from the fig tree learn a parable. When its branch has now become tender and the leaves have sprung forth, you know that summer is near.

So also, when you will have seen all these things, know that it is near, even at the threshold.

Amen I say to you, that this lineage shall not pass away, until all these things have been done.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.(e)

Readiness at Any Hour

(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)

But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the Angels of the heavens, but only the Father.

And just as in the days of Noah, so also will be the advent of the Son of man.

For it will be just as it was in the days before the flood: eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, even until that day when Noah entered into the ark.

And they did not realize it, until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the advent of the Son of man be.

Then two men will be in a field: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind.

Two women will be grinding at a millstone: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind.(f)

Therefore, be vigilant. For you do not know at what hour your Lord will return.

But know this: if only the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly keep vigil and not permit his house to be broken into.

For this reason, you also must be prepared, for you do not know at what hour the Son of man will return.

Consider this: who is a faithful and prudent servant, who has been appointed by his lord over his family, to give them their portion in due time?

Blessed is that servant, if, when his lord has arrived, he shall find him doing so.

Amen I say to you, he shall appoint him over all of his goods.

But if that evil servant has said in his heart, ‘My lord has been delayed in returning,’

and so, he begins to strike his fellow servants, and he eats and drinks with the inebriated:

then the lord of that servant will arrive on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know.

And he shall separate him, and he shall place his portion with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Footnotes

(a)24:21 This verse refers to the greater tribulation, i.e. the second part of the tribulation, not the first, because the first part of the tribulation (the lesser tribulation) will be exceeded in severity by the second part (the greater tribulation).(Conte)

(b)24:28 Wheresoever, etc:The coming of Christ shall be sudden, and manifest to all the world, like lightning: and wheresoever he shall come, thither shall all mankind be gathered to him, as eagles are gathered about a dead body.(Challoner)

(d)24:30 The sign, etc:The cross of Christ.(Challoner)

(e)24:35 Shall pass:Because they shall be changed at the end of the world into a new heaven and new earth.(Challoner)

(f)24:41 The Latin here does not actually have a word meaning woman, but the word ‘una’ is feminine, so the translation of ‘molentes’ (persons working at a grindstone) is feminine.(Conte)

(Mark 13:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)

Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

Witnessing to All Nations

(Mark 13:9–13; Luke 21:10–19)

“Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.

Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

But he who endures to the end will be saved.

This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

(Mark 13:14–23; Luke 21:20–24)

“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, (a) which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.

Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!

Pray that your flight will not be in the winter nor on a Sabbath,

for then there will be great suffering, (b) such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There!’ don’t believe it.

For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

“Behold, I have told you beforehand.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28)

“If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.

For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures (c) gather together.

“But immediately after the suffering (d) of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; (e)

and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33)

“Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors.

Most certainly I tell you, this generation (f) will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Readiness at Any Hour

(Genesis 6:1–7; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 12:35–48)

“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, (g) but my Father only.

As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,

and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.

Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?

Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.

Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’

and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,

the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,

and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.

Footnotes

(a)24:15 ℘ Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11

(b)24:21 or, oppression

(d)24:29 or, oppression

(e)24:29 ℘ Isaiah 13:10; 34:4

(f)24:34 The word for “generation” (genea) can also be translated as “race.”

(g)24:36 NU adds “nor the son”