8. Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be earthquakes and famines in all sorts of places. These things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end.
9. “Watch out for yourselves. People will hand you over to the councils. You will be beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me so that you can testify before them.
10. First, the good news must be proclaimed to all the nations.
11. When they haul you in and hand you over, don’t worry ahead of time about what to answer or say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that moment, for you aren’t doing the speaking but the Holy Spirit is.
12. Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to death. A father will turn in his children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them executed.
13. Everyone will hate you because of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved.
14. “When you see the disgusting and destructive thing standing where it shouldn’t be (the reader should understand this), then those in Judea must escape to the mountains.
15. Those on the roof shouldn’t come down or enter their houses to grab anything.
16. Those in the field shouldn’t come back to grab their clothes.
17. How terrible it will be at that time for women who are pregnant and for women who are nursing their children.
18. Pray that it doesn’t happen in winter.