Synopsis of the Gospels
Compare similar Bible verses (New International Reader’s Version):
Matthew 24
When the temple will be destroyed and the signs of the end
1 Jesus left the temple. He was walking away when his disciples came up to him. They wanted to call his attention to the temple buildings.
2 ‘Do you see all these things?’ Jesus asked. ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.’
3 Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives. There the disciples came to him in private. ‘Tell us’, they said. ‘When will this happen? And what will be the sign of your coming? What will be the sign of the end?’
4 Jesus answered, ‘Keep watch! Be careful that no one fools you.
5 Many will come in my name. They will claim, “I am the Messiah!” They will fool many people.
6 You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isn’t here.
7 Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. People will go hungry. There will be earthquakes in many places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.
9 ‘Then people will hand you over to be treated badly and killed. All nations will hate you because of me.
10 At that time, many will turn away from their faith. They will hate each other. They will hand each other over to their enemies.
11 Many false prophets will appear. They will fool many people.
12 Because evil will grow, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 But the one who remains strong in the faith will be saved.
14 This good news of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world. It will be a witness to all nations. Then the end will come.
15 ‘The prophet Daniel spoke about “the hated thing that destroys.” Someday you will see it standing in the holy place. The reader should understand this.
16 Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains.
17 No one on the housetop should go down into the house to take anything out.
18 No one in the field should go back to get their coat.
19 How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers!
20 Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on the Sabbath day.
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 Messiah!” Or, “There he is!” Do not believe it.
24 False messiahs 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 in advance.
26 ‘So if anyone tells you, “He is a long way 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.”
30 ‘Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. At that time, all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. 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 these 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 now will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.
The day and hour are not known
36 ‘But no one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.
Mark 13
When the temple will be destroyed and the signs of the end
1 Jesus was leaving the temple. One of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What huge stones! What wonderful buildings!’
2 ‘Do you see these huge buildings?’ Jesus asked. ‘Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.’
3 Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite the temple. Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him a question in private.
4 ‘Tell us’, they said. ‘When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to come true?’
5 Jesus said to them, ‘Keep watch! Be careful that no one fools you.
6 Many will come in my name. They will claim, “I am he.” They will fool many people.
7 You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don’t be alarmed. These things must happen. But the end still isn’t here.
8 Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places. People will go hungry. All these things are the beginning of birth-pains.
9 ‘Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings because of me. In that way you will be witnesses to them.
10 The good news has to be preached to all nations before the end comes.
11 You will be arrested and brought to trial. But don’t worry in advance about what you will say. Just say what God brings to your mind at the time. It is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 ‘Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed. Fathers will hand over their children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death.
13 Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who remains strong in the faith will be saved.
14 ‘You will see “the hated thing that destroys.” It will stand where it does not belong. The reader should understand this. Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains.
15 No one on the roof should go down into the house to take anything out.
16 No one in the field should go back to get their coat.
17 How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers!
18 Pray that this will not happen in winter.
19 Those days will be worse than any others from the time God created the world until now. And there will never be any like them again.
20 ‘If the Lord had not cut the time short, no one would live. But because of God’s chosen people, he has shortened it.
21 At that time someone may say to you, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” Or, “Look! There he is!” Do not believe it.
22 False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will do signs and miracles. They will try to fool God’s chosen people if possible.
23 Keep watch! I have told you everything in advance.
24 ‘So in those days there will be terrible suffering. After that, Scripture says, ‘ “The sun will be darkened. The moon will not shine.
25 The stars will fall from the sky. The heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
26 ‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. He will come with great power and glory.
27 He will send his angels. He will gather his chosen people from all four directions. He will bring them from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
28 ‘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.
29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that the end is near. It is right at the door.
30 What I’m about to tell you is true. The people living now will certainly not pass away until all those things have happened.
31 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.
The day and hour are not known
32 ‘But no one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.
Luke 21
When the temple will be destroyed and the signs of the end
5 Some of Jesus’ disciples were talking about the temple. They spoke about how it was decorated with beautiful stones and with gifts that honoured God. But Jesus asked,
6 ‘Do you see all this? The time will come when not one stone will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.’
7 ‘Teacher’, they asked, ‘when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?’
8 Jesus replied, ‘Keep watch! Be careful that you are not fooled. Many will come in my name. They will claim, “I am he!” And they will say, “The time is near!” Do not follow them.
9 Do not be afraid when you hear about wars and about fighting against rulers. Those things must happen first. But the end will not come right away.’
10 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom.
11 In many places there will be powerful earthquakes. People will go hungry. There will be terrible diseases. Things will happen that will make people afraid. There will be great and miraculous signs from heaven.
12 ‘But before all this, people will arrest you and treat you badly. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison. You will be brought to kings and governors. All this will happen to you because of my name.
13 And so you will be witnesses about me.
14 But make up your mind not to worry in advance about how to stand up for yourselves.
15 I will give you words of wisdom. None of your enemies will be able to withstand them or prove them wrong.
16 Even your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends will hand you over to the authorities. The authorities will put some of you to death.
17 Everyone will hate you because of me.
18 But not a hair on your head will be harmed.
19 Remain strong in the faith, and you will receive eternal life.
20 ‘A time is coming when you will see armies surround Jerusalem. Then you will know that it will soon be destroyed.
21 Those who are in Judea should then escape to the mountains. Those in the city should get out. Those in the country should not enter the city.
22 This is the time when God will punish Jerusalem. Everything will come true, just as it has been written.
23 How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers! There will be terrible suffering in the land. There will be great anger against those people.
24 Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be taken over by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles come to an end.
25 ‘There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. The nations of the earth will be in terrible pain. They will be puzzled by the roaring and tossing of the sea.
26 Terror will make people faint. They will be worried about what is happening in the world. The sun, moon and stars will be shaken from their places.
27 At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud. He will come with power and great glory.
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up. Hold your head up with joy and hope. The time when you will be set free will be very close.’
29 Jesus told them a story. ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees,’ he said.
30 ‘When you see leaves appear on the branches, you know that summer is near.
31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that God’s kingdom is near.
32 ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. The people living now will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.