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Mark 13
New English Translation

The Destruction of the Temple

13 Now[a] as Jesus[b] was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!”[c] 2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another.[d] All will be torn down!”[e]

Signs of the End of the Age

3 So[f] while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John,[g] and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things[h] happen? And what will be the sign that all these things are about to take place?” 5 Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out[i] that no one misleads you. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’[j] and they will mislead many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.[k] 8 For nation will rise up in arms[l] against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines.[m] These are but the beginning of birth pains.

Persecution of Disciples

9 “You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over[n] to councils[o] and beaten in the synagogues.[p] You will stand before governors and kings[q] because of me, as a witness to them. 10 First the gospel must be preached to all nations. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over for trial,[r] do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time,[s] for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against[t] parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.[u] But the one who endures to the end will be saved.[v]

The Abomination of Desolation

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation[w] standing where it[x] should not be” (let the reader understand),[y] “then those in Judea must flee[z] to the mountains. 15 The one on the roof[aa] must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house.[ab] 16 The one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 17 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 18 Pray that it may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be suffering[ac] unlike anything that has happened[ad] from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, or ever will happen. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved. But because of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut them[ae] short. 21 Then[af] if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’[ag] or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe him. 22 For false messiahs[ah] and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the elect. 23 Be careful! I have told you everything ahead of time.

The Arrival of the Son of Man

24 “But in those days, after that suffering,[ai] the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.[aj] 26 Then everyone[ak] will see the Son of Man arriving in the clouds[al] with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send angels and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.[am]

The Parable of the Fig Tree

28 “Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also you, when you see these things happening, know[an] that he is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth,[ao] this generation[ap] will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.[aq]

Be Ready!

32 “But as for that day or hour no one knows it—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son[ar]—except the Father. 33 Watch out! Stay alert![as] For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves[at] in charge, assigning[au] to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return—whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn— 36 or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly. 37 What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 13:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  2. Mark 13:1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Mark 13:1 sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.
  4. Mark 13:2 sn With the statement not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in a.d. 70.
  5. Mark 13:2 tn Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”
  6. Mark 13:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
  7. Mark 13:3 tn Grk “and James and John,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  8. Mark 13:4 sn Both references to these things are plural, so more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.
  9. Mark 13:5 tn Or “Be on guard.”
  10. Mark 13:6 tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”
  11. Mark 13:7 tn Grk “it is not yet the end.”
  12. Mark 13:8 tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
  13. Mark 13:8 sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.
  14. Mark 13:9 tn Grk “They will hand you over.” “They” is an indefinite plural, referring to people in general. The parallel in Matt 10:17 makes this explicit.
  15. Mark 13:9 sn Councils in this context has a non-technical sense referring to local judicial bodies (courts) attached to the Jewish synagogue (cf. BDAG 967 s.v. συνέδριον 1.a). These courts would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
  16. Mark 13:9 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
  17. Mark 13:9 sn These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of councils and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts.
  18. Mark 13:11 tn Or “hand you over into custody,” in particular “as a t.t. of police and courts ‘hand over into [the] custody [of]’” (BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b). In context some sort of trial is implied (cf. Luke 12:11).
  19. Mark 13:11 tn Grk “in that hour.”
  20. Mark 13:12 tn Or “will rebel against.”
  21. Mark 13:13 sn See 1 Cor 1:25-31.
  22. Mark 13:13 sn But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus was not claiming here that salvation is by works, because he had already taught that it is by grace (cf. 10:15). He was simply arguing that genuine faith evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials.
  23. Mark 13:14 sn The reference to the abomination of desolation is an allusion to Dan 9:27. Though some have seen the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in the actions of Antiochus IV (or a representative of his) in 167 b.c., the words of Jesus seem to indicate that Antiochus was not the final fulfillment, but that there was (from Jesus’ perspective) still another fulfillment yet to come. Some argue that this was realized in a.d. 70, while others claim that it refers specifically to Antichrist and will not be fully realized until the period of the great tribulation at the end of the age (cf. Mark 13:19, 24; Matt 24:21; Rev 3:10).
  24. Mark 13:14 tn Or perhaps “he.” Those who see the participle ἑστηκότα as masculine singular generally understand it to refer to the individual known as the Antichrist, often citing 2 Thess 2:3-4 as a related passage. By grammatical form the participle ἑστηκότα can also be neuter plural, however, and this is sometimes interpreted as referring to various abominations or atrocities committed during the intertestamental period, or to a statue set up in the temple, or to an altar constructed on top of the altar of burnt offering for the purpose of pagan sacrifices. Each of these views is not without difficulties. Confining the issue merely to the grammatical problem, the interpreter is forced to choose between a discrepancy in grammatical gender (the participle ἑστηκότα is masculine singular but the word it modifies, βδέλυγμα, is neuter singular) or a discrepancy in number (the participle ἑστηκότα is neuter plural but the word it modifies, βδέλυγμα, is neuter singular. Given that the issue is one of grammatical gender, however, it is still possible for the neuter head noun (βδέλυγμα) to refer to a masculine individual rather than a set of circumstances or a thing. The present translation uses “it” for the following pronoun, allowing a degree of ambiguity to remain for the English reader.
  25. Mark 13:14 sn This parenthetical comment is generally regarded as a command by the author made directly to the readers, not as part of Jesus’ original speech. For this reason the statement is not placed within quotation marks.
  26. Mark 13:14 sn Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.
  27. Mark 13:15 sn Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.
  28. Mark 13:15 sn The nature of the judgment coming upon them will be so quick and devastating that one will not have time to come down or go inside to take anything out of his house. It is best just to escape as quickly as possible.
  29. Mark 13:19 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
  30. Mark 13:19 sn Suffering unlike anything that has happened. Some refer this event to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. While the events of a.d. 70 may reflect somewhat the comments Jesus makes here, the reference to the scope and severity of this judgment strongly suggest that much more is in view. Most likely Jesus is referring to the great end-time judgment on Jerusalem in the great tribulation.
  31. Mark 13:20 tn Grk “the days.”
  32. Mark 13:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  33. Mark 13:21 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
  34. Mark 13:22 tn Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
  35. Mark 13:24 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
  36. Mark 13:25 sn An allusion to Isa 13:10; 34:4 (LXX); Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
  37. Mark 13:26 tn Grk “they.”
  38. Mark 13:26 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.
  39. Mark 13:27 tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
  40. Mark 13:29 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginōskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
  41. Mark 13:30 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  42. Mark 13:30 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
  43. Mark 13:31 sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself! For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.
  44. Mark 13:32 sn The phrase nor the Son has caused a great deal of theological debate because on the surface it appears to conflict with the concept of Jesus’ deity. The straightforward meaning of the text is that the Son does not know the time of his return. If Jesus were divine, though, wouldn’t he know this information? There are other passages which similarly indicate that Jesus did not know certain things. For example, Luke 2:52 indicates that Jesus grew in wisdom; this has to mean that Jesus did not know everything all the time but learned as he grew. So Mark 13:32 is not alone in implying that Jesus did not know certain things. The best option for understanding Mark 13:32 and similar passages is to hold the two concepts in tension: The Son in his earthly life and ministry had limited knowledge of certain things, yet he was still deity.
  45. Mark 13:33 tc The vast majority of witnesses (א A C L W Θ Ψ ƒ1,13 M lat sy co) have καὶ προσεύχεσθε after ἀγρυπνεῖτε (agrupneite kai proseuchesthe, “stay alert and pray”). This may be a motivated reading, influenced by the similar command in Mark 14:38 where προσεύχεσθε is solidly attested, and more generally from the parallel in Luke 21:36 (though δέομαι [deomai, “ask”] is used there). As B. M. Metzger notes, it is a predictable variant that scribes would have been likely to produce independently of each other (TCGNT 95). The words are not found in B D a c d k. Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is slender, it probably better accounts for the longer reading than vice versa.
  46. Mark 13:34 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
  47. Mark 13:34 tn Grk “giving.”
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Mark 13
New International Version

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times(A)

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”(B)

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives(C) opposite the temple, Peter, James, John(D) and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.(E) 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues.(F) On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.(G)

12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.(H) 13 Everyone will hate you because of me,(I) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.(J)

14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’[a](K) standing where it[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!(L) 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,(M) until now—and never to be equaled again.(N)

20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.(O) 22 For false messiahs and false prophets(P) will appear and perform signs and wonders(Q) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard;(R) I have told you everything ahead of time.

24 “But in those days, following that distress,

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[c](S)

26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds(T) with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.(U)

28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[d] is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation(V) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.(W) 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.(X)

The Day and Hour Unknown

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.(Y) 33 Be on guard! Be alert[e]!(Z) You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants(AA) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 13:14 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
  2. Mark 13:14 Or he
  3. Mark 13:25 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
  4. Mark 13:29 Or he
  5. Mark 13:33 Some manuscripts alert and pray
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Mark 13
New Catholic Bible

When Will the End Come?[a]

Chapter 13

Jesus Announces the Destruction of the Temple.[b] 1 As Jesus was making his departure from the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at the size of these stones and buildings!” 2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left upon another; every one will be thrown down.”

The End Has Not Yet Come.[c] 3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives directly across from the temple, Peter,[d] James, John, and Andrew questioned him when they were alone. 4 “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign that all those things are about to be accomplished?”

5 Jesus began to say to them, “Take care that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed, for those things are bound to happen, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famine. These are only the beginning of the labor pangs.

The Coming Persecution.[e] 9 “Be on your guard. For they will hand you over to courts and beat you in synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me to testify before them. 10 But first the gospel must be preached to all nations.

11 “When they arrest you and bring you to trial, do not be concerned beforehand about what you are to say. Simply say whatever is given to you when that time comes, for it will not be you who speak but the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 The Great Trial.“Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation[f] standing where it does not belong (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, 15 the one who is standing on the roof must not come down or go inside to take anything out of the house, 16 and someone who is in the field must not turn back to retrieve his coat.

17 “Woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants in those days. 18 Pray that all this may not occur in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such suffering as has not been since the beginning of the creation that God made until now and will never be again. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect whom he chose, he did cut short those days.

21 False Messiahs and False Prophets.[g]“Therefore, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders to lead astray God’s chosen ones, if that were possible. 23 Be on your guard! I have forewarned you about everything.

24 The Coming of the Son of Man.[h]“But in those days, following that distress,

the sun will be darkened
    and the moon will not give forth its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from the sky,
    and the heavenly powers will be shaken.

26 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory. 27 And he will send forth his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

28 The Parable of the Fig Tree.[i]“Learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see these things come to pass, know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things have taken place.[j] 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

32 The Day and Hour Unknown.[k]“But as for that day or that hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on your guard and keep alert, because you do not know when the time will come.

34 “It is like a man going on a journey. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his own duties to perform, and he commands the doorkeeper to remain alert. 35 Therefore, keep watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will return, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 lest he arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: Keep awake!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 13:1 For over two centuries the Jewish world had been familiar with these strange visions that were meant to explain in advance the events that would occur at the end of the world. The series of pictures describes the unfolding of a catastrophe. These literary pieces were known as “apocalypses,” that is, revelations (see Isa 24–27; Ezek 34–36; Dan 7–12; Zec 14:1-20; etc.).
    In the present discourse, the longest in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus, too, speaks of the final destiny of the human race and borrows from the Jewish apocalypses the somewhat terrifying images that became part of the literary genre of apocalypse as found in the first three Gospels. The discourse is therefore known as “the Synoptic apocalypse.” And because it bids us reflect on the ultimate lot of humankind and the world, it is also known as the “eschatological discourse,” that is, a discourse about the end.
  2. Mark 13:1 See note on Mt 24:1-2.
  3. Mark 13:3 See note on Mt 24:3-14.
  4. Mark 13:3 Peter: the disciples named were the first to be called (see Mk 1:16-20). In Mark, all of Jesus’ teaching is given privately to these four disciples.
  5. Mark 13:9 See note on Mt 24:15-22.
  6. Mark 13:14 The abomination of desolation refers, in Dan 11:31; 12:11, and 1 Mac 1:54; 6:7, to the statue of the pagan emperor that was set up in the temple as a symbol of his divinity. Jesus is thus foretelling that this scandalous event will be repeated.
  7. Mark 13:21 False messiahs who try to lead Christians astray can be resisted by clinging to revealed Truth taught by Christ’s Church.
  8. Mark 13:24 The discourse now takes on clearly cosmic proportions. The upheaval in the elements is described in the customary expressions derived from apocalyptic language. However, the whole passage is centered upon the glorious appearance of the Messiah in his Second Coming. The emphasis is on the joy of the elect at the coming of the Son of Man rather than on their terror over the destruction of the world. See note on Mt 24:29-31.
  9. Mark 13:28 See note on Mt 23:32-35.
  10. Mark 13:30 It was typical of apocalypses that they announced events as if they had to do with the present generation. It was a way of involving the reader, of saying: “This passage has to do with you.”
  11. Mark 13:32 See note on Mt 24:36-42.
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Mark 13
Common English Bible

The temple’s fate

13 As Jesus left the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look! What awesome stones and buildings!”

2 Jesus responded, “Do you see these enormous buildings? Not even one stone will be left upon another. All will be demolished.”

3 Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? What sign will show that all these things are about to come to an end?”

Keep watch!

5 Jesus said, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ They will deceive many people. 7 When you hear of wars and reports of wars, don’t be alarmed. These things must happen, but this isn’t the end yet. 8 Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other, and there will be earthquakes and famines in all sorts of places. These things are just the beginning of the sufferings associated with the end.

9 “Watch out for yourselves. People will hand you over to the councils. You will be beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me so that you can testify before them. 10 First, the good news must be proclaimed to all the nations. 11 When they haul you in and hand you over, don’t worry ahead of time about what to answer or say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that moment, for you aren’t doing the speaking but the Holy Spirit is. 12 Brothers and sisters will hand each other over to death. A father will turn in his children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them executed. 13 Everyone will hate you because of my name. But whoever stands firm until the end will be saved.

14 “When you see the disgusting and destructive thing standing where it shouldn’t be (the reader should understand this), then those in Judea must escape to the mountains. 15 Those on the roof shouldn’t come down or enter their houses to grab anything. 16 Those in the field shouldn’t come back to grab their clothes. 17 How terrible it will be at that time for women who are pregnant and for women who are nursing their children. 18 Pray that it doesn’t happen in winter. 19 In those days there will be great suffering such as the world has never before seen and will never again see. 20 If the Lord hadn’t shortened that time, no one would be rescued. But for the sake of the chosen ones, the ones whom God chose, he has cut short the time.

21 “Then if someone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Christ,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 22 False christs and false prophets will appear, and they will offer signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, those whom God has chosen. 23 But you, watch out! I’ve told you everything ahead of time.

24 “In those days, after the suffering of that time, the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. 25 The stars will fall from the sky, and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Human One[a] coming in the clouds with great power and splendor. 27 Then he will send the angels and gather together his chosen people from the four corners of the earth, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven.

A lesson from the fig tree

28 “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that he’s near, at the door. 30 I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.

32 “But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son. Only the Father knows. 33 Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. 34 It is as if someone took a trip, left the household behind, and put the servants in charge, giving each one a job to do, and told the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know when the head of the household will come,whether in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows in the early morning or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 13:26 Or Son of Man
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New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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New Catholic Bible (NCB)

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St. Joseph New Catholic Bible
Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible