Part 30

023:034 "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death--nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town;

023:035 that all the innocent blood shed upon earth may come on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.

023:036 I tell you in solemn truth that all these things will come upon the present generation.

023:037 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee! how often have I desired to gather thy children to me, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not come!

023:038 See, your house will now be left to you desolate!

023:039 For I tell you that you will never see me again until you say, `Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

024:001 Jesus had left the Temple and was going on His way, when His disciples came and called His attention to the Temple buildings.

024:002 "You see all these?" He replied; "in solemn truth I tell you that there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be pulled down."

024:003 Afterwards He was on the Mount of Olives and was seated there when the disciples came to Him, apart from the others, and said, "Tell us when this will be; and what will be the sign of your Coming and of the Close of the Age?"

024:004 "Take care that no one misleads you," answered Jesus;

024:005 "for many will come assuming my name and saying `I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many.

024:006 And before long you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Do not be alarmed, for such things must be; but the End is not yet.

024:007 For nation will rise in arms against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places;

024:008 but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

024:009 "At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

024:010 Then will many stumble and fall, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

024:011 Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray;

024:012 and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

024:013 but those who stand firm to the End shall be saved.

024:014 And this Good News of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world to set the evidence before all the Gentiles; and then the End will come.

024:015 "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the `Abomination of Desolation', standing in the Holy Place"-- let the reader observe those words--

024:016 "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;

024:017 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;

024:018 nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment.

024:019 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

024:020 "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath;

024:021 for it will be a time of great suffering, such as never has been from the beginning of the world till now, and assuredly never will be again.

024:022 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short.