Destruction Of The Temple
Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came forward
to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and said to them, "Do you see
all these things? I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another
that will not be thrown down."
And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately,
saying, "Tell us, when are these things to happen, and what will be the sign of
your coming and of the end of the world?"
In answer Jesus said to them, "Take care that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying,
I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. For you shall hear of wars and
rumors of wars. Take care that you do not be alarmed, for these things must come to
pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom; and there will be pestilences and famines and earthquakes in
various places. All these things are the beginnings of sorrows.
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and will put you to death; and
you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away,
and will betray one another, and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise,
and will lead many astray. And because iniquity will abound, the charity of the
many will grow cold. But whoever perseveres to the end, he shall be saved. And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a witness to all nations; and
then the end will come.
"If anyone say to you, behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'There he
is,' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show great signs
and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told it to
you beforehand. If therefore they say to you, 'Behold, he is in the desert,' do not go
forth; 'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes
forth from the east and shines even to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of
Man be. "But immediately after the tribulation
of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars
will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then will appear the
sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then will all tribes of the earth mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with great power and majesty.
And he will send forth his angels with a trumpet and a great sound, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
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