Study Desk

"You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age].

"But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

"But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.

"And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God's chosen ones) those days will be shortened.

"Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

"But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone.

"But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

"But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, 'My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],'

but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps.

"But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.'

"But the foolish virgins said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

"But the wise replied, 'No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.'

"But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked.

"But He replied, 'I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].'

"But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"But his master answered him, 'You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed.

"For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away.

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

"Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life."

But they said, "It must not be during the festival (Passover), otherwise there might be a riot among the people."