Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^aten virgins who took their lamps ▼

▼Or torches

and went to meet ^cthe bridegroom. ▼

▼Some manuscripts add and the bride

2Five of them were foolish, and five were ^ewise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom ^fwas delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6But ^gat midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and ^htrimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ⁱthose who were ready went in with him to ^jthe marriage feast, and ^kthe door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^l‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 ^mBut he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ⁿI do not know you.’ 13 ^oWatch therefore, for you ^pknow neither the day nor the hour.

Mark 13:32-37

No One Knows That Day or Hour

32“But concerning that day or that hour, ^qno one knows, not even the angels in heaven, ^rnor the Son, ^sbut only the Father. 33 ^tBe on guard, ^ukeep awake. ▼

▼Some manuscripts add and pray

For you do not know when the time will come. 34 ^wIt is like a man ^xgoing on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants ▼

▼Greek bondservants

in charge, ^zeach with his work, and commands ^aathe doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 ^abTherefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, ^acin the evening, or ^adat midnight, or ^aewhen the rooster crows, ▼

▼That is, the third watch of the night, between midnight and 3 a.m.

or ^agin the morning— 36lest ^ahhe come suddenly and ^aifind you asleep. 37And what I say to you I say to all: ^ajStay awake.”

Luke 14:31-32

31Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not ^aksit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

Luke 21:3-36

3And he said, “Truly, I tell you, ^althis poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her ^ampoverty put in all ^anshe had to live on.”

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

5 ^aoAnd while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6“As for these things that you see, ^apthe days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7And they asked him, “Teacher, ^aqwhen will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8And he said, ^ar“See that you are not led astray. For ^asmany will come in my name, saying, ^at‘I am he!’ and, ^au‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be ^avterrified, for these things ^awmust first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

10Then he said to them, ^ax“Nation will rise against nation, and ^aykingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great ^azearthquakes, and in various places ^bafamines and pestilences. And there will be ^bbterrors and great ^bcsigns from heaven. 12But before all this ^bdthey will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to ^bethe synagogues and ^bfprisons, and you ^bgwill be brought before ^bhkings and ^bigovernors for my name’s sake. 13 ^bjThis will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds ^bknot to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for ^blI will give you a mouth and ^bmwisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or ^bncontradict. 16You will be delivered up ^boeven by parents and brothers ▼

▼Or  parents and brothers and sisters

and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 ^bqYou will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18But ^brnot a hair of your head will perish. 19By your ^bsendurance you will gain your lives.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

20“But ^btwhen you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that ^buits desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are ^bvdays of ^bwvengeance, to fulfill ^bxall that is written. 23 ^byAlas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and ^bzwrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and ^cabe led captive among all nations, and ^cbJerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, ^ccuntil the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

25“And ^cdthere will be signs in sun and moon ^ceand stars, and on the earth ^cfdistress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For ^cgthe powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see ^chthe Son of Man coming in a cloud ^ciwith power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and ^cjraise your heads, because ^ckyour redemption is drawing near.”

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

29And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30As soon as they come out in leaf, you see ^clfor yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 ^cmTruly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 ^cnHeaven and earth will pass away, but ^comy words will not pass away.

Watch Yourselves

34“But watch yourselves ^cplest ^cqyour hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and ^crcares of this life, and ^csthat day come upon you suddenly ^ctlike a trap. 35For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36But ^custay awake at all times, ^cvpraying that you may ^cwhave strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and ^cxto stand before the Son of Man.”

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

2For you yourselves are fully aware that ^cythe day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then ^czsudden destruction will come upon them ^daas labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you ^dbare not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.