Mark 13:14-23

Expanded Bible

¹⁴ “You will see ‘·a blasphemous object that brings destruction’ [^Tthe abomination of desolation; ^Ca phrase taken from Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11, and originally referring to the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 bc] standing where ·it [or he] should not be.” (You who read this should understand what it means [^Cprobably a reference to the (soon-to-occur) destruction of Jerusalem in ad 70].) “At that time, the people in Judea should ·run away [flee] to the mountains. ¹⁵ If people are on the roofs of their houses [^Croofs in Palestine were flat and used as spare rooms and for storage], they must not go down or go inside to get anything out of their houses. ¹⁶ If people are in the fields, they must not go back to get their ·coats [cloaks]. ¹⁷ At that time, ·how terrible it will be for [^Lwoe to] women who are pregnant or have nursing babies! ¹⁸ Pray that these things will not happen in ·winter [bad weather], ¹⁹ because those days will be full of ·trouble [distress; ^Ttribulation]. There will be more ·trouble [distress; ^Ttribulation] than there has ever been since the beginning, when God made the world, until now, and nothing as bad will ever happen again [Dan. 12:1]. ²⁰ ·God has decided to make that terrible time short [^LIf the Lord had not shortened those days…]. Otherwise, no one would ·go on living [survive; ^Lbe saved]. But God will make that time short ·to help [for the sake of] ·the people [the elect] he has chosen. ²¹ At that time, someone might say to you, ‘Look, there is the ·Christ [Messiah]!’ Or another person might say, ‘There he is!’ But don’t believe them. ²² False ·Christs [Messiahs] and false prophets will ·come [appear; rise up] and perform ·great wonders [signs; miracles] and ·miracles [wonders; marvels]. They will try to ·fool [mislead; deceive] even the ·people God has chosen [elect], if that is possible. ²³ So ·be careful [watch out; be on guard]. I have warned you about all this before it happens.