Section XLII.

[1] 2807    Luke xxi. 20.But when ye see Jerusalem with the army compassing it about, then know that [2] its desolation is come near.  2808    Luke xxi. 21.Those then that are in Judæa at that time shall flee to the mountain; and those that are within her shall flee; and those that are in the [3] villages shall not enter her.  2809    Luke xxi. 22.For these days are the days of vengeance, that all that [4] is written may be fulfilled.  2810    Matt. xxiv. 15.And when ye see the unclean sign of desolation,2811    So Vat. ms., following the Peshitta.  Ciasca follows Borg. ms., which by a change of diacritical points has the hardly grammatical reading, see that it is the desolation, the unclean thing spoken of.  Ibn-at-Tayyib’s Commentary supports Vat. ms. spoken of in Daniel the prophet, standing in the pure place, he that readeth shall understand, [5, 6] 2812    Matt. xxiv. 16.and then he that is in Judæa shall flee in to the mountain:  2813    Mark xiii. 15.and let him that is on the [7] roof not go down, nor enter in to take anything from his house:  2814    Mark xiii. 16.and let him that is in [8] [Arabic, p. 159] the field not turn behind him to take his garment.  2815    Luke xxi. 23.Woe to them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! there shall be great [9] distress in the land, and wrath against this nation.  2816    Luke xxi. 24.And they shall fall on the edge of the sword,2817    This word has a Syriac meaning given to it.  In Arabic it means war. and shall be taken captive to every land:  and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the nations, until the times of the nations be ended.

[10] 2818    Mark xiii. 21.Then if any man say unto you, The Messiah is here; or, Lo, he is there; believe [11] him not:  2819    Matt. xxiv. 24.there shall rise then false Messiahs and prophets of lying, and shall do signs and wonders, in order that they may lead astray even the elect also, if they [12] be able.  2820    Mark xiii. 23.But as for you, beware:  for I have acquainted you with everything [13] beforehand.  2821    Matt. xxiv. 26.If then they say unto you, Lo, he is in the desert; go not out, lest ye [14] be taken:  and if they say unto you, Lo, he is in the chamber; believe not.  2822    Matt. xxiv. 27.And as the lightning appeareth from the east, and is seen unto the west; so shall be the [15] coming of the Son of man.  2823    Luke xvii. 25.But first he must suffer much and be rejected by this [16] generation.2824    cf. § 16, 2.  2825    Matt. xxiv. 20.Pray therefore that your flight be not in winter, nor on a sabbath:  [17] 2826    Matt. xxiv. 21.there shall be then great tribulation,2827    Same Arabic (and Syriac) word as in § 41, 50. the like of which there hath not been from the [18] beginning of the world till now, nor shall be.  2828    Mark xiii. 20.And except the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would have lived:  but because of the elect, whom he elected, [19] he shortened those days.  2829    Luke xxi. 25.And there shall be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars; and upon the earth affliction2830    Same Arabic (and Syriac) word as in § 41, 50. of the nations, and rubbing of hands for the confusion2831    So the Borg. ms.  The Vat. ms., followed by Ciasca, has grief. [20] [Arabic, p. 160] of the noise of the sea, and an earthquake:  2832    Luke xxi. 26a.the souls of men shall [21] go forth from fear of that which is to come upon the earth.  2833    Mark xiii. 24a; Matt. xxiv. 29.And in those days, straightway after the distress of those days, the sun shall become dark, and the moon shall not shew its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers [22] of heaven shall be convulsed:  2834    Matt. xxiv. 30.and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:  and at that time all the tribes of the earth shall wail, and look unto the Son [23] of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory.  2835    Matt. xxiv. 31.And he shall send his angels with the great trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four [24] winds, from one end of heaven to the other.2836    Lit. the end of heaven unto its end.  2837    Luke xxi. 28.But when these things begin to be, be of good cheer, and lift up your heads; for your salvation2838    Or, deliverance. is come near.

[25] 2839    Matt. xxiv. 32.Learn the example of the fig tree:  when it letteth down its branches,2840    cf. Peshitta, which text the translator seems to have misread. and putteth [26] forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is come; 2841    Matt. xxiv. 33.so ye also, when ye see these things begun to be, know ye that the kingdom of God hath arrived at the [27] door.  2842    Matt. xxiv. 34.Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these [28] things shall be.  2843    Matt. xxiv. 35.Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my sayings shall not pass away.

[29] 2844    Luke xxi. 34.Take heed to yourselves, that your hearts become not heavy with inordinate desire,2845    cf. Peshitta. and drunkenness, and the care of the world at any time, and that day come [30] upon you suddenly:  2846    Luke xxi. 35.for it is as a shock that shocks all the inhabitants that are on the [31] face of the whole earth.  2847    Luke xxi. 36.Watch at all times, and pray, that ye may be worthy to escape [Arabic, p. 161] from all the things that are to be, and that ye may stand before the Son of [32] man.  2848    Mark xiii. 32.Of that day and of that hour hath no man learned, not even the angels [33] of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.  2849    Mark xiii. 33.See ye, and watch and pray:  for ye know [34] not when that time will be.  2850    Mark xiii. 34.It is as a man, who journeyed, and left his house, and gave his authority to his servants, and appointed every man to his work, and [35] charged the porter to be wakeful.  2851    Mark xiii. 35.Be wakeful then:2852    cf. § 9, 21.  since ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, in the evening, or in the middle of the night, or when the [36] cock croweth, or in the morning; 2853    Mark xiii. 36.lest he come unexpectedly, and find you sleeping.  [37] 2854    Mark xiii. 37.The thing that I say unto you, unto all of you do I say it, Be ye watchful.

[38] 2855    Matt. xxiv. 37.For as it was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.  [39] 2856    Matt. xxiv. 38.As they were before the flood eating and drinking, and taking wives, and giving [40] wives to men, 2857    Matt. xxiv. 39.until the day in which Noah entered into the ark, and they perceived not till the flood came, and took them all; so shall the coming of the Son of man [41] be.  2858    Luke xvii. 28.And as it was in the days of Lot; they were eating and drinking, and selling [42] and buying, and planting and building, 2859    Luke xvii. 29.on the day in which Lot went out from Sodom, and the Lord rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them [43, 44] all:  2860    Luke xvii. 30.so shall it be in the day in which the Son of man is revealed.2861    Or, appeareth.  2862    Luke xvii. 31.And in that day, whosoever is on the roof, and his garments2863    cf. § 14, 24 note. in the house, let him not go down to [45] take them:  and he that is in the field shall not turn behind him.  2864    Luke xvii. 32.Remember Lot’s [46] wife.  2865    Luke xvii. 33.Whosoever shall desire to save his life shall destroy it:  but whosoever shall [47] destroy his life shall save it.  2866    Luke xvii. 34.Verily I say unto you, In that night there shall be two on [48] [Arabic, p. 162] one bed; one shall be taken, and another left.  2867    Luke xvii. 35.And two women shall be grinding [49] at one mill; one shall be taken, and another left.  2868    Luke xvii. 36.And two shall be in the [50] field; one shall be taken, and another left.  2869    Luke xvii. 37.They answered and said unto him, To what place, our Lord?  He said unto them, Where the body is, there will the eagles [51, 52] gather.  2870    Matt. xxiv. 42.Be attentive now:  for ye know not at what hour your Lord cometh.  2871    Matt. xxiv. 43.Know this:  if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have been attentive, and would not make it possible that his house should be [53] broken through.  2872    Matt. xxiv. 44.Therefore be ye also ready:  for in the hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.