22. These are the days of punishment to make come true all that is written in the Scriptures.
23. At that time, it will be hard for women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! Great trouble will come upon this land, and God will be angry with these people.
24. Some will be killed by the sword and taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be crushed by non-Jewish people until their time is over.
25. “Amazing things will happen to the sun, moon, and stars. On earth, nations will be afraid because of the roar and fury of the sea. They will not know what to do.
26. People will be so afraid they will faint. They will wonder what is happening to the whole world. Everything in the sky will be changed.
27. Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28. When these things begin to happen, don’t fear. Look up and hold your heads high because the time when God will free you is near!”
29. Then Jesus told this story: “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.
30. When their leaves appear, you know that summer is near.
31. In the same way, when you see all these things happening, then you will know that God’s kingdom is coming very soon.