PERSECUTIONS PREDICTED

9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.v 10 Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. 11 Many false prophetsw will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessnessx will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the worldI as a testimony to all nations,y and then the end will come.z

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation,J spoken of by the prophet Daniel,aa standing in the holy place”ab (let the reader understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 A man on the housetopK must not come down to get things out of his house,ac 18 and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great distress,* ad the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. 22 Unless those days were cut short, no one wouldM be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.ae

23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’a or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it.b 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,c if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it.