Matthew 24:23-33

23 "Then, if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Messiah!' or "There he is!' - do not believe it.

24 For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear; they will perform great miracles and wonders in order to deceive even God's chosen people, if possible.

25 Listen! I have told you this ahead of time.

26 "Or, if people should tell you, "Look, he is out in the desert!' - don't go there; or if they say, "Look, he is hiding here!' - don't believe it. ¹

27 For the Son of Man will come like the lightning which flashes across the whole sky from the east to the west.

28 "Wherever there is a dead body, the vultures will gather. ²

29 "Soon after the trouble of those days, the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses. ³

30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky; and all the peoples of earth will weep as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ⁴

31 The great trumpet will sound, and he will send out his angels to the four corners of the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from one end of the world to the other.

32 "Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near.

33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.

Cross References

• 1. 24.26, 27Luke 17.23, 24.
• 2. 24.28Luke 17.37.
• 3. 24.29 aIsaiah 13.10;Joel 2.10, 31; 3.15;Revelation 6.12; bIsaiah 13.10;Ezekiel 32.7;Joel 2.10; 3.15; cIsaiah 34.4;Revelation 6.13.
• 4. 24.30Daniel 7.13;Zechariah 12.10-14;Revelation 1.7.

Footnotes

• [a]. the time is near, ready to begin; [or] he is near, ready to come.