Jesus on the End Times

Transcription

1 Jesus on the End Times A Chronological Scriptural Account Compiled and Edited by Thure Martinsen Holy Bible, New Living Translation Copyright 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. All rights reserved.

2 The Olivet Discourse, the Setting Mark 13:1-4 (Matthew 24:1-3 & Luke 21:5-7) As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls! Jesus replied, These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another. Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to show us when all this will be fulfilled? The Beginning of the End Matthew 24:4-14 & Luke 21:9-19 (Mark 13:5-13) Jesus told them, Don t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Messiah. They will lead many astray. And wars will break out near and far, but don t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won t follow immediately. The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come. But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will be accused before kings and governors of being my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me. So don t worry about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply! Even those closest to you your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you. And some of you will be killed. And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. And many false prophets will appear and will lead many people astray. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But those who endure to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come. Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 1

3 The Desecration of the Temple Matthew 24:15-28 (Mark 13:14-23 & Luke 21:20-24) The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the holy place (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) reader, pay attention! Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person outside the house must not go inside to pack. A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God s chosen ones. Then if anyone tells you, Look, here is the Messiah, or There he is, don t pay any attention. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God s chosen ones. See, I have warned you. So if someone tells you, Look, the Messiah is out in the desert, don t bother to go and look. Or, Look, he is hiding here, don t believe it! For as the lightning lights up the entire sky, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. The Second Coming Matthew 24:29-31 & Luke 21:25-28 (Mark 13:24-27) Immediately after those horrible days end, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15), and the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then at last, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the nations of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near! Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 2

4 Signs of It s Nearness but Exact Time Unknown Matthew 24:32-41 (Mark 13:28-32 & Luke 21:29-33) Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its buds become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when you see the events I ve described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever. However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah s day. In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. Parables on Being Ready Luke 21:34-36, Mark 13:33-37 & Matthew 24:42-51 Watch out! Don t let me find you living in careless ease and drunkenness, and filled with the worries of this life. Don t let that day catch you unaware, as in a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep a constant watch. And pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man. The coming of the Son of Man can be compared with that of a man who left home to go on a trip. He gave each of his employees instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. So keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when the homeowner will return at evening, midnight, early dawn, or late daybreak. Don t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. What I say to you I say to everyone: Watch for his return! Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 3

5 Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would stay alert and not permit the house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected. Who is a faithful, sensible servant, to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family? If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But if the servant is evil and thinks, My master won t be back for a while, and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13) The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all lay down and slept. At midnight they were roused by the shout, Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and welcome him! All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out. But the others replied, We don t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves. But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, Sir, open the door for us! But he called back, I don t know you! So stay awake and be prepared, because you do not know the day or hour of my return. The Parable of the Bags of Gold (Matthew 25:14-30) Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 4

6 and one bag of gold to the last dividing it in proportion to their abilities and then left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master s money for safekeeping. After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount. The master was full of praise. Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let s celebrate together! Next came the servant who had received the two bags of gold, with the report, Sir, you gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount. The master said, Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let s celebrate together! Then the servant with the one bag of gold came and said, Sir, I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn t plant and gathering crops you didn t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth and here it is. But the master replied, You wicked and lazy servant! You think I m a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn t plant and gathering crops I didn t cultivate? Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Sheep & the Goats Matthew 25:31-46 But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 5

7 presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you? And the King will tell them, I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! For I was hungry, and you didn t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn t give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn t visit me. Then they will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you? And he will answer, I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life. Jesus on the End Times, A Chronological Scriptural Account, Page 6

8 Matthew (the Voice NKJV) Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple 24 Jesus left the temple. As He was walking away, His disciples came up to Him and asked what He thought about the temple buildings. Jesus: 2 Look around you. All of it will become rubble. I tell you this: not one stone will be left standing. 24 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down. The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age 3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. Disciples: We don t understand Your predictions. Tell us, when will these things happen: When will the temple be destroyed? What will be the sign that You are returning? How will we know that the end of the age is upon us? 4 Jesus: Take care that you are not deceived. 5 For many will come in My name claiming they are the Anointed One, and many poor souls will be taken in. 6 You will hear of wars, and you will hear rumors of wars, but you should not panic. It is inevitable, this violent breaking apart of the sinful world, but remember, the wars are not the end. The end is still unfolding. 7 Nations will do battle with nations, and kingdoms will fight neighboring kingdoms, and there will be famines and earthquakes. 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 1 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

9 8 But these are not the end. These are 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. the birth pangs, the beginning. The end is still unfolding. 9 They will hand you over to your enemies, who will torture you and then kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. 10 And many who have followed Me and claimed to love Me and sought God s kingdom will turn away they will abandon the faith and betray and hate one another The love that they had for one another will grow cold because few will obey the law. False prophets will appear, many will be taken in by them, and the only thing that will grow is wickedness. There will be no end to the increase of wickedness. 13 But those who do not waver from our path and do not follow those false prophets those among you will be saved. 14 And this good news of God s kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, a testimony to all people and all nations. Then, beloved, the end, the consummation of all things, will come. 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. The Great Tribulation 15 You will remember that the prophet Daniel predicted this predicted the abomination that causes desolation (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) when you see the prophesied desolation of the holy place. (Reader, take notice; it is important that you understand this.) 16 When you see this, let those in Judea 15 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. flee to the mountains. 2 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

10 17 If you are relaxing on your rooftop one evening and the signs of the temple s destructions come, don t return to your house to rescue a book or a pet or a scrap of clothing. 18 If you are in the field when the great destruction begins, don t return home for a cloak. 19 Pregnant women and nursing mothers will have the worst of it. 20 And as for you, pray that your flight to the hills will not come on the Sabbath or in the cold of winter. 21 For the tribulation will be unparalleled hardships of a magnitude that has not been seen since creation and that will not be seen again. 22 Indeed the Lord God your merciful judge will cut this time of trial short, and this will be done for the benefit of the elect that some might indeed be saved for no one could survive the depravity for very long. 23 I cannot say this clearly enough: during this time, someone will say to you, Look, here is the Anointed One! or Aren t you relieved? Haven t you seen the Savior down there, around the bend, over the hill and dale? Do not believe them. 24 False liberators and false prophets will appear, and they will know a few tricks they will perform great miracles, and they will make great promises. If it were possible, they would even deceive God s elect. 25 But I am warning you ahead of time: remember do not fall for their lies or lines or promises. 26 If someone says, He s out there in the desert do not go. And if someone says, He s here at our house, at our table do not believe him. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect s sake those days will be shortened. 23 Then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! or There! do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 Therefore if they say to you, Look, He is in the desert! do not go out; or Look, He is in the inner rooms! do not believe it. 3 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

11 27 When the Son of Man comes, He will be as visible as lightning in the East is visible even in the West. 28 And where the carcass is, there will always be vultures. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. The Coming of the Son of Man 29 And as the prophets have foretold it: after the distress of those days, the sun will grow dark, and the moon will be hidden. The stars will fall from the sky, and all the powers in the heavens will be dislodged and shaken from their places (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4). 30 That is when the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming; they will see Him powerful and glorious, riding on chariots of clouds in the sky. 31 With a loud trumpet call, He will send out battalions of heavenly messengers; and they will gather His beloved faithful elect from the four corners of creation, from one end of heaven to the other. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. The Parable of the Fig Tree 32 Now think of the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and greenish, as soon as it begins to sprout leaves, you know to expect summer. 33 In the same way, when you see the wars and the suffering and the false liberators and the desolations, you will know the Son of Man is near right at the door. 34 I tell you this: this generation will see all these things take place before it passes away. 32 Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 4 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

12 35 My words are always true and always here with you. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. No One Knows the Day or Hour 36 No one knows the hour or the day, not even the messengers in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. 37 As it was at the time of Noah, so it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. 38 In the days before the flood, people were busy making lives for themselves: they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, making plans and having children and growing old, until the day Noah entered the ark. 39 Those people had no idea what was coming; they knew nothing about the floods until the floods were upon them, sweeping them all away. That is how it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be plowing a field: one will be taken, and the other will be left in the field. 41 Two women will be somewhere grinding at a mill: one will be taken, and the other will be left at the mill. 42 So keep watch. You don t know when your Lord will come. 43 But you should know this: If the owner of a house had known his house was about to be broken into, he would have stayed up all night, vigilantly. He would have kept watch, and he would have thwarted the thief. 44 So you must be ready because you know the Son of Man will come, but you can t know precisely when. 36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 5 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

13 The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant 45 The trustworthy servant is the one whom the master puts in charge of all the servants of his household; it is the trustworthy servant who not only oversees all the work, but also ensures the servants are properly fed and cared for. 46 And it is, of course, crucial that a servant who is given such responsibility performs his responsibility to his master s standards so when the master returns he finds his trust has been rewarded. 47 For then the master will put that good servant in charge of all his possessions. 48 But imagine that the master s trust was misplaced, that the supposedly responsible servant is actually a thief who says to himself, My master has been gone so long, he is not possibly coming back. 49 Then he beats his fellow servants and dines and drinks with drunkards. 50 Well, when the master returns as certainly he will the servant will be caught unawares. The master will return on a day and at an hour when he isn t expected. 51 And he will cut his worthless servant into pieces and throw him out into darkness with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and grinding of teeth. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming, 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 6 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

14 The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins 25 Jesus: Or picture the kingdom of heaven this way. It will be like ten bridesmaids who each picked up a lantern and went out to meet a certain bridegroom. 2-4 Five of these women were sensible, good with details, and remembered to bring small flasks of oil for their lanterns. But five of them were flighty, too caught up in the excitement of their jaunt, and forgot to bring oil with them. 5 The bridegroom did not turn up right away. Indeed, all the women, while waiting, found themselves falling asleep. 6 And then in the middle of the night, they heard someone call, The bridegroom is here, finally! Wake up and greet him! 7 The women got up and trimmed the wicks of their lanterns and prepared to go greet the groom. 8 The five women who had no oil turned to their friends for help. Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Please give us some of your oil! Our lanterns are flickering and will go out soon. 9 But the five women who d come prepared with oil said they didn t have enough. Prepared Bridesmaids: If we give you some of our oil, we ll all run out too soon! You d better go wake up a dealer and buy your own supply. 25 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came 10 So the five ill-prepared women went in search of oil to buy, and while they were gone, the groom arrived. 7 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

15 The five who stood ready with their lanterns accompanied him to the wedding party, and after they arrived, the door was shut. 11 Finally the rest of the women turned up at the party. They knocked on the door. Ill-prepared Bridesmaids: Master, open up and let us in! and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! 12 But he answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. Bridegroom (refusing): 12 I certainly don t know you. 13 So stay awake; you neither know the day nor hour [when the Son of Man will come]. 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. The Parable of the Talents Jesus: 14 This is how it will be. It will be like a landowner who is going on a trip. He instructed his slaves about caring for his property. 15 He gave five talents to one slave, two to the next, and then one talent to the last slave each according to his ability. Then the man left. 16 Promptly the man who had been given five talents went out and bartered and sold and turned his five talents into ten. 17 And the one who had received two talents went to the market and turned his two into four. 18 And the slave who had received just one talent? He dug a hole in the ground and buried his master s money there. 19 Eventually the master came back from his travels, found his slaves, and settled up with them. 14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 8 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

16 20 The slave who had been given five talents came forward and told his master how he d turned five into ten; then he handed the whole lot over to his master. Master: 21 Excellent. You ve proved yourself not only clever but loyal. You ve executed a rather small task masterfully, so now I am going to put you in charge of something larger. But before you go back to work, come join my great feast and celebration. 22 Then the slave who had been given two talents came forward and told his master how he d turned two into four, and he handed all four talents to his master. Master: 23 Excellent. You ve proved yourself not only clever but loyal. You ve executed a rather small task masterfully, so now I am going to put you in charge of something larger. But before you go back to work, come join my great feast and celebration. 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them. 21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them. 23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. 24 Finally the man who had been given one talent came forward. Servant: Master, I know you are a hard man, difficult in every way. You can make a healthy sum when others would fail. You profit when other people are doing the work. You grow rich on the backs of others. 25 So I was afraid, dug a hole, and hid the talent in the ground. Here it is. You can have it. 24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. 26 The master was furious. 9 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

17 Master: You are a pathetic excuse for a servant! You have disproved my trust in you and squandered my generosity. You know I always make a profit! 27 You could have at least put this talent in the bank; then I could have earned a little interest on it! 28 Take that one talent away, and give it to the servant who doubled my money from five to ten. 29 You see, everything was taken away from the man who had nothing, but the man who had something got even more. 30 And as for the slave who made no profit but buried his talent in the ground? His master ordered his slaves to tie him up and throw him outside into the utter darkness where there is miserable mourning and great fear. 26 But his lord answered and said to him, You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations King: 31 When the Son of Man comes in all His majesty accompanied by throngs of heavenly messengers, His throne will be wondrous. 32 All the nations will assemble before Him, and He will judge them, distinguishing them from one another as a shepherd isolates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put some, the sheep, at His right hand and some, the goats, at His left. 34 Then the King will say to those to His right, Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. 31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 10 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

18 35 You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. 36 I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me. 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. 37 Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things. Righteous: Master, when did we find You hungry and give You food? When did we find You thirsty and slake Your thirst? 38 When did we find You a stranger and welcome You in, or find You naked and clothe You? 39 When did we find You sick and nurse You to health? When did we visit You when You were in prison? 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? King: King: 40 I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother or sister hungry or cold, whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to Me. 41 At that He will turn to those on His left hand. Get away from Me, you despised people whom My Father has cursed. Claim your inheritance the pits of flaming hell where the devil and his minions suffer. 42 For I was starving, and you left Me with no food. When I was dry and thirsty, you left Me to struggle with nothing to drink. 43 When I was alone as a stranger, you turned away from Me. When I was pitifully naked, you left Me unclothed. 11 Matthew (the Voice NKJV) 40 And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me,

19 When I was sick, you gave Me no care. When I was in prison, you did not comfort Me. Unrighteous: 44 Master, when did we see You hungry and thirsty? When did we see You friendless or homeless or excluded? When did we see You without clothes? When did we see You sick or in jail? When did we see You in distress and fail to respond? sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. 44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? King: 45 I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother hungry or cold, when you saw a sister weak and without friends, when you saw the least of these and ignored their suffering, so you ignored Me. 46 So these, the goats, will go off to everlasting punishment. But the beloved, the sheep (the righteous), will go into everlasting life. 45 Then He will answer them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.. The Voice Bible Copyright 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice translation 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved 12 Matthew (the Voice NKJV)

20 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV) Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple 13 As Jesus left the temple later that day, one of the disciples noticed the grandeur of Herod s temple. Disciple: Teacher, I can t believe the size of these stones! Look at these magnificent buildings! Jesus: 2 Look closely at these magnificent buildings. Someday there won t be one of these great stones left on another. Everything will be thrown down. 13 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2 And Jesus answered and said to him, Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down. The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age 3 They took a seat on the Mount of Olives, across the valley from the temple; and Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus to explain His statement to them privately. Peter, James, John, and Andrew: 4 Don t keep us in the dark. When will the temple be destroyed? What sign will let us know that it s about to happen? 5 Jesus: Take care that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come claiming to be Mine, saying, I am the One, and they will fool lots of people. 7 You will hear of wars, or that war is coming, but don t lose heart. These things will have to happen, although it won t mean the end yet. 8 Tribe will rise up against tribe, nation against nation, and there will be earthquakes in place after place and 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? 5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, I am He, and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various 1 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV)

21 famines. These are a prelude to labor pains that precede the temple s fall. 9 Be careful, because you will be delivered to trial and beaten in the places of worship. Kings and governors will stand in judgment over you as you speak in My name. 10 The good news of the coming kingdom of God must be delivered first in every land and every language. 11 When people bring you up on charges and it is your time to defend yourself, don t worry about what message you ll deliver. Whatever comes to your mind, speak it, because the Holy Spirit will inspire it. 12 But it will get worse. Brothers will betray each other to death, and fathers will betray their children. Children will turn against their parents and cause them to be executed. 13 Everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to Me. But if you re faithful until the end, you will be rescued. places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. The Great Tribulation 14 You will see that which desecrates our most holy place [described by Daniel the prophet] out of place. (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) Let the one who reads and hears understand. Jesus: On the day you see it, whoever is in Judea should flee for the mountains. 15 The person on the rooftop shouldn t reenter the house to get anything, 16 and the person working in the field 14 So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. shouldn t turn back to grab his coat. 2 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV)

22 17 It will be horrible for women who are pregnant or who are nursing their children when those days come. 18 And pray that you don t have to run for your lives in the winter. 19 When those days come, there will be suffering like nobody has seen from the beginning of the world that God created until now, and it never will be like this again. 20 And if the Lord didn t shorten those days for the sake of the ones He has chosen, then nobody would survive them. 21 If anyone tells you in those days, Look, there is the Anointed One! or Hey, that must be Him! don t believe them. 22 False liberators and prophets will pop up like weeds, and they will work signs and perform miracles that would entice even God s chosen people, if that were possible. 23 So be alert, and remember how I have warned you. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21 Then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! or, Look, He is there! do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. The Coming of the Son of Man As Isaiah said in the days after that great suffering, the sun will refuse to shine, and the moon will hold back its light. The stars in heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4) 26 Then you will see (as Daniel predicted) the Son of Man coming in the clouds, (Daniel 7:13) clothed in power and majesty. 27 And He will send out His heavenly messengers and gather together to Himself those He has chosen from the four corners of the world, from every direction and every land. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. 3 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV)

23 The Parable of the Fig Tree 28 Jesus: Learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch is new and tender and begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer must be near. 29 In the same way, when you see and hear the things I ve described to you taking place, you ll know the time is drawing near. 30 It s true this generation will not pass away before all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth may pass away, but these words of Mine will never pass away. 28 Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. No One Knows the Day or Hour 32 Take heed: no one knows the day or hour when the end is coming. The messengers in heaven don t know, nor does the Son. Only the Father knows. 33 So be alert. Watch for it [and pray,] for you never know when that time might approach. 34 This situation is like a man who went on a journey; when he departed, he left his servants in charge of the house. Each of them had his own job to do; and the man left the porter to stand at the door, watching. 35 So stay awake, because no one knows when the master of the house is coming back. It could be in the evening or at midnight or when the rooster crows or in the morning. 36 Stay awake; be alert so that when he 32 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved suddenly returns, the master won t find you sleeping. 4 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV)

24 37 The teaching I am giving the four of you now is for everyone who will follow Me: stay awake, and keep your eyes open. The Voice Bible Copyright 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice translation 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society. All rights reserved. 5 Mark 13 (the Voice NKJV)

25 Luke 21:5-38 (the Voice NKJV) Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple 5 Some people were impressed with the temple s opulence the precious stones and expensive decorations but Jesus countered their observations. 6 Jesus: Go ahead, look around, and be impressed; but days are coming when one stone will not be left standing on another. Everything here will be demolished. 5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 These things which you see the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down. The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age Crowd: 7 When will this happen, Teacher? What signs will tell us this is about to occur? Jesus: 8 Be careful. It s easy to be deceived. Many people will come claiming to have My authority. They ll shout, I m the One! or The time is now! Don t take a step in their direction. 9 You ll hear about wars and conflicts, but don t be frightened at all because these things must surely come, although they don t signify the immediate coming of the end. 10 You can count on this: nation will attack nation, and kingdom will make war on kingdom. 11 There will be disturbances around the world from great earthquakes to famines to epidemics. Terrifying things will happen, and there will be shocking signs from heaven. 12 But before any of this happens, they will capture you and persecute you. They ll send you to 7 So they asked Him, saying, Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place? 8 And He said: Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, I am He, and, The time has drawn near. Therefore do not go after them. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. 10 Then He said to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to 1 Luke 21:5-38 (the Voice NKJV)