28. When these things begin to happen, don’t fear. Look up and hold your heads high because the time when God will free you is near!”
29. Then Jesus told this story: “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.
30. When their leaves appear, you know that summer is near.
31. In the same way, when you see all these things happening, then you will know that God’s kingdom is coming very soon.
32. “I tell you the truth. All these things will happen while the people of this time are still living!
33. The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed; but the words I have said will never be destroyed!
34. “Be careful! Don’t spend your time feasting and drinking. Or don’t be too busy with worldly things. If you do that, you will not be able to think straight. And then that day might come when you are not ready.
35. It will close like a trap on all people on earth.
36. So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that will happen. And pray that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
37. During the day, Jesus taught the people in the Temple. At night he went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives.
38. Every morning all the people got up early to go to the Temple to listen to him.