PERSECUTIONS PREDICTED

9 “But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts,B,j and you will be floggedk in the synagogues.l You will stand before governors and kingsm because of me,n as a witnesso to them.p 10 And it is necessary that the gospelq be preached to all nations. 11 So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will betrayr brother to death,s and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name,t but the one who endures to the end will be saved.u

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

14 “When you see the abomination of desolationC,v standing where it should not be” (let the reader understand), “then those in Judeaw must flee to the mountains. 15 A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house,x 16 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat.y 17 Woez to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!

18 “Prayaa itD won’t happen in winter. 19 For those will be days of tribulation,ab the kind that hasn’t been from the beginningac of creationad until now and never will be again. 20 If the Lordae had not cut those days short,af no one would be saved. But he cut those days short for the sake of the elect,ag whom he chose.ah

21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘See, here is the Messiah!ai See, there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wondersaj to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 And you must watch! I have told you everything in advance.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation:ak The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; 25 the starsal will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.am 26 Then they will see the Son of Manan comingao in cloudsap with great poweraq and glory.ar 27 He will send out the angelsas and gather his electat from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.au

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

28 “Learnav this lessonaw from the figax tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.ay 29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, recognizeE that heF is near—at the door.

30 “Truly I tell you,az this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.