Christ predicts the Temple's Destruction. 235 see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, See ye not all these things? these great buildings? Verily I say unto you, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, the disciples, Peter and James and John and Andrew, came unto him privately, and asked him, saying, Master, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, and commotions; see that ye be not terrified nor troubled: for all these things must first come to pass; but the end shall not be yet. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and there shall be famines, and pestilences; and troubles, and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. All these 236 Christ predicts the are the beginning of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, and deliver you up to councils, and to the synagogues, and into prisons, to be afflicted; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my name's sake, and they shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony against them. But the gospel must first be published among all nations. And when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, settle it therefore in your hearts; and take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some Destruction of the Temple. 237 of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh: and when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which 238 Christ predicts the are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: for in those days shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, no, nor ever shall be. For there shall be great distress in the land, affliction and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, there should no flesh be saved but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, those days shall be shortened. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the Destruction of the Temple. 239 west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. But immediately after the tribulation of those days, there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven and upon the earth shall be distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And then shall he send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable. Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when their branch is yet tender, and |