The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 658

24:21. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be.

24:22. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.

24:23. Then if any man shall say to you, Lo here is Christ, or there: do not believe him.

24:24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.

24:25. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.

24:26. If therefore they shall say to you, Behold he is in the desert: go ye not out. Behold he is in the closets: believe it not.

24:27. For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be.

24:28. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.

Wheresoever, etc... The coming of Christ shall be sudden, and manifest to all the world, like lightning: and wheresoever he shall come, thither shall all mankind be gathered to him, as eagles are gathered about a dead body.

24:29. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved.

The stars... Or flaming meteors resembling stars.

24:30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.

The sign, etc... The cross of Christ.

24:31. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.

24:32. And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.

24:33. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors.

24:34. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pa.s.s till all these things be done.

24:35. Heaven and earth shall pa.s.s: but my words shall not pa.s.s.

Shall pa.s.s... Because they shall be changed at the end of the world into a new heaven and new earth.

24:36. But of that day and hour no one knoweth: no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone.

24:37. And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

24:38. For, as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark:

24:39. And they knew not till the flood came and took them all away: so also shall the coming of the Son of man be.

24:40. Then two shall be in the field. One shall be taken and one shall be left.

24:41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. One shall be taken and one shall be left.

24:42. Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come.

24:43. But this know ye, that, if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open.

24:44. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.

24:45. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season?

24:46. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.

24:47. Amen I say to you: he shall place him over all his goods.

24:48. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:

24:49. And shall begin to strike his fellow servants and shall eat and drink with drunkards:

24:50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not and at an hour that he knoweth not:

24:51. And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth.

Matthew Chapter 25

The parable of the ten virgins and of the talents. The description of the last judgment.

25:1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.

25:2. And five of them were foolish and five wise.

25:3. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them.

25:4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.

25:5. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.

25:6. And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him.

25:7. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

25:8. And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.

25:9. The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.

25:10. Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut.

25:11. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.

25:12. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.

25:13. Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.