the disciples came and asked him privately,
"Tell us, when is this going to happen,
and what will be the sign of your coming
and of the end of the world?"
And Jesus answered them,
"Take care that no one deceives you;
because many will come using my name and saying,
'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many.
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars;
do not be alarmed, for this is something
that must happen, but the end will not be yet.
For nation will fight against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and
earthquakes here and there....
Then they will hand you over to be
tortured and put to death;
and you will be hated by all the nations
on account of my name."
"This Good News of the kingdom
will be proclaimed to the whole world
as a witness to all the nations.
And then the end will come."
"There will be great distress such as,
until now, since the world began,
there never has been, nor ever will be again...
False Christs and false prophets will arise
and produce great signs and portents,
enough to deceive even the chosen,
if that were possible.
There, I have forewarned you."
"Immediately after the distress of those days
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will lose its brightness,
the stars will fall from the sky and
the powers of heaven will be shaken.
"And then the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in heaven;
then too all the peoples of the earth
will beat their breasts;
and they will see the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory.
"And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet
to gather his chosen from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other."
 |