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"When therefore ye see the desolating abomination*, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing on holy ground, 16 (let him who readeth consider,) then let those that are 17 in Judea flee to the mountains: let not him that is on the

house-top go down to take any thing out of his house: 18 nor let him that is in the field turn back to take his gar19 ments. But alas for them that are with child, and for 20 them that give suck, in those days! And pray ye that

your flight be not in winter, nor on the sabbath. For 21 then will be great affliction, such as hath not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor 22 ever will be. And unless those days should be shortened, no man could be preserved: but because of the elect those days will be shortened.

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"Then if any man say unto you, 'Lo, here is the 24 Christ, or there;' believe him not. For false Christs and false prophets will rise, and will propose † great signs

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and wonders, so as to deceive, if it were possible, even 25 the elect. Lo, I have foretold you this. Wherefore, if 26 men say unto you, Behold, Christ is in the desert;' go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers,' believe 27 them not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth to the west; so will the appearance of the 28 Son of man [also] be. For wheresoever the carcase is, thither the eagles will be gathered together.

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"Now, soon after the affliction of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the 30 heavens will be shaken. And then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then will all the tribes of the land lament, and will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven, with great power and 31 glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they will gather together his elect

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from the four winds, from one end of the.heaven to the other.

"But learn a parable from the fig-tree: When its branch is now tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know 33 that summer is near: so likewise, when ye see all these things, know ye that the Son of man is near, even at the 34 door. Verily I say unto you, This generation will not 35 pass away till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away; but my words cannot pass away.

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"But of that day and hour none knoweth ; no, not 37 the angels of heaven; but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so will the appearance of the Son of 38 man also be. For as in the days which were before the

flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered into 39 the ark; and understood not, until the flood came, and

destroyed them all; so will the appearance of the Son of 40 man also be. Then will two men be in the field; the one 41 will be taken, and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; the one will be taken, and the other left.

42 "Watch therefore for ye know not at what hour 43 your master cometh. But this ye know, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken into. 44 Wherefore be ye also ready; for in an hour of which ye think not, the Son of man cometh.

45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master hath placed over his household, to give them food 46 in due season? Happy is that servant whom his master, 47 when he cometh, shall find doing thus. Verily I say 48 unto you, that he will place him over all that he hath. But if that servant, being evil, say in his heart, My master 49 delayeth his coming;' and begin to strike his fellow-ser

50 vants, and eat and drink with the drunken; the master of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not 51 for him, and in an hour of which he is not aware; and

will discard him, and appoint him his portion with the perfidioust: there will be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. CH. XXV. "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the 2 bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were 3 foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps, and 4 took with them no oil: but the wise took oil in their 5 vessels, together with their lamps. And, while the bride6 groom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom

Then all those vir

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7 cometh go ye forth to meet him.' 8 gins rose, and set their lamps in order. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us of your oil for our lamps are 9 going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you go ye rather to 10 those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And, while they went to buy, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage-feast; and the Il door was shut. And afterward the other virgins also 12 come, saying, Sir, sir, open it for us.' But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you

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"Watch therefore, for ye know not the day and hour ‡. 14 "For the Son of man is like one going into another country, who called his servants, and delivered to them 15 what he had and gave to one five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his ability; and immediately went into another country. 16 Then he that had received the five talents, went and traded 17 with them, and made of them other five talents. And in

* cut him asunder, N. See Pearce and Campbell, in loc.

+ hypocrites, N. See Pearce and Campbell, in loc.
#wherein the Son of man cometh. R. T.

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like manner he that had received the two, he also gained 18 other two. But he that had received the one, went and 19 digged in the ground, and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants cometh, 20 and reckoneth with them. Then he that had received the five talents came near, and brought other five talents, saying, Sir, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: see, I 21 have gained besides them five other talents.' His master said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter into the joy of thy 22 master.' Then he also that [had received] the two talents came near, and said, Sir, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: see, I have gained besides them two other talents.' 23 His master said unto him, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter into the joy of 24 thy master.' Then he that had received the one talent came near, and said, Sir, I knew that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering 25 where thou hast not scattered and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the ground: see, thou hast 26 what is thine.' Then his master answered, and said unto

him,

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Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not? and gather where I scat27 tered not? Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers; and then at my coming I should have 28 received mine own with increase. Take ye therefore the

him that hath the ten

talent from him, and give it unto 29 talents. For to every one that hath much, to him shall be

given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath little 30 shall be taken away even that which he hath. And put forth the unprofitable* servant into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

* worthless, N.

31 "But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon the throne 32 of his glory and before him will be gathered all nations :

and he will separate them one from another, as a shep33 herd separateth his sheep from the goats: and he will set

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the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 35 for you from the foundation, of the world. For I was hungry, and ye gave me food: I was thirsty, and ye gave 36 me drink I was a stranger, and ye took me in naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye took care of me : 37 I was in prison, and ye came unto me.' Then will the righteous answer him, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or 39 naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, 40 or in prison, and came unto thee?' And the king will

answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my 41 brethren, ye did it unto me.' Then he will say unto them also on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, which was prepared † for the devil 42 and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no 43 food: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a

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stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye took no care of me.' 44 Then they also will answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or 45 sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?' Then he will answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, 46 ye did it not unto me.' And these shall go away into

* Now when, W.

† Some of the best authorities read, “which my Father hath prepared.”

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