19. For those times will have tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of God’s creation until now, nor ever will be.
20. If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect whom he chose, he did shorten the days.
21. If anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah! Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.
22. False messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders in order to mislead, if that were possible, the elect.
23. Be watchful! I have told it all to you beforehand.
24. “But in those days after that tribulationthe sun will be darkened,and the moon will not give its light,
25. and the stars will be falling from the sky,and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26. And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory,
27. and then he will send out the angels and gather [his] elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
28. “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.
29. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates.
30. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
31. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32. “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.