21. There will be terrible suffering in those days. It will be worse than any other from the beginning of the world until now. And there will never be anything like it again.
22. If the time had not been cut short, no one would live. But because of God's chosen people, it will be shortened.
23. "At that time someone may say to you, 'Look! Here is the Christ!' Or, 'There he is!' Do not believe it.
24. False Christs and false prophets will appear. They will do great signs and miracles. They will try to fool God's chosen people if possible.
25. See, I have told you ahead of time.
26. "So if anyone tells you, 'He is far out in the desert,' do not go out there. Or if anyone says, 'He is deep inside the house,' do not believe it.
27. Lightning that comes from the east can be seen in the west. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes.
28. The vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.
29. "Right after the terrible suffering of those days, " 'The sun will be darkened. The moon will not shine. The stars will fall from the sky. The heavenly bodies will be shaken.' (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)
30. "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the nations on earth will be sad. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky. He will come with power and great glory.
31. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call. They will gather his chosen people from all four directions. They will bring them from one end of the heavens to the other.
32. "Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33. In the same way, when you see all those things happening, you know that the end is near. It is right at the door.
34. What I'm about to tell you is true. The people living at that time will certainly not pass away until all those things have happened.
35. Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.