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All of these are only the beginning pains [of the end].
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"Then they will hand you over to those who will torture and kill you. All nations will hate you because you are committed to me.
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Then many will lose faith. They will betray and hate each other.
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Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
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And because there will be more and more lawlessness, most people's love will grow cold.
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But the person who endures to the end will be saved.
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"This Good News about the kingdom will be spread throughout the world as a testimony to all nations. Then the end will come.
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"The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. When you see this (let the reader take note),
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those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains.
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Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses.
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Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.
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"How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days.
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Pray that it will not be winter or a day of worship when you flee.
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There will be a lot of misery at that time, a kind of misery that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and will certainly never happen again.
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If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
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"At that time don't believe anyone who tells you, 'Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!'
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False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen.
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Listen! I've told you this before it happens.
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So if someone tells you, 'He's in the desert!' don't go out [looking for him]. And don't believe anyone who says, 'He's in a secret place!'
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The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west.
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Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.