Mark 13

The Signs of the End

1As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What giant stones! What wonderful buildings!”

2“Do you see these huge buildings?” Jesus asked. “Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down to the ground.”

3As 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? And what will be the sign that they are all about to take place?”

5Jesus told them, “Watch out so no one tricks you. 6Many people will come claiming to be me and saying, ‘I’m the Messiah!’ They’ll get many people to follow them. 7You’ll hear about wars, and you’ll hear people saying there are going to be wars. Don’t be afraid. Those things will happen, but that won’t be the end. 8Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom will fight against kingdom. People won’t have enough food, and there will be earthquakes in many places. But all of this will be only the beginning of the birth pains.

9“Look out—you’ll be handed over to the local courts, and you’ll be whipped in the synagogues. You’ll be brought in for questioning by governors and kings because of me. But in that way, you’ll become witnesses to them. 10The good news has to be preached to all nations first. 11You’ll be arrested and put on trial. But don’t worry ahead of time about what to say. Just say what God brings to your mind at the time. It won’t be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit.

12“Brothers will hand over their brothers to be killed, and fathers will hand over their children. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14“You’ll see ‘the detestable thing that brings desolation’ standing where it doesn’t belong.” (Let the one who reads this be sure to understand.) “Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains. 15No one who’s on the roof should go down into the house to take anything out, 16and no one who’s in the field should go back home to get their coat. 17How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women and for nursing mothers! 18Pray that this will not happen in the winter. 19Those days will be worse than any others have been, from the time God created the world until now, and there will never be any days like them again.

20“If the Lord hadn’t decided to shorten that time, no one would survive it. But because of God’s chosen people, he has shortened it. 21At that time someone may say to you, ‘Look! Here’s the Messiah!’ Or, ‘Look! There he is!’ Don’t believe it. 22False messiahs and false prophets will appear, and they’ll do signs and miracles. They’ll even try to trick God’s chosen people. 23So watch out! I’ve told you everything ahead of time.

24“Right after the terrible suffering of those days,

“ ‘The sun will go dark,

the moon won’t shine,

25the stars will fall from the sky,

and the planets will be shaken.’

26“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27He will send his angels to gather his chosen people from the north, south, east, and west—from all over the earth, right to the edges of the sky.

28“Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29In the same way, when you see these things happening, you’ll know that the end is near, right at the door. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

No One Knows the Day and Time

32“But no one knows what day or time this will happen. The angels in heaven don’t even know, and the Son doesn’t know either—only the Father knows. 33So keep watch! Stay awake! You don’t know when that time is going to come. 34It’s like a man who goes away and puts his servants in charge of his house. He gives each one a task to do, and the one he leaves at the door he tells to keep watch.

35“So keep watch! You don’t know when the owner of the house will come back. It might be in the evening or at midnight, or it might be when the rooster crows or at sunrise. 36If he comes unexpectedly, don’t let him find you sleeping. 37What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”

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Mark 13

Jesus Teaches Disciples on the Mount of Olives

(Matthew 24:1–35; Luke 21:5–33)

1As Jesus was going out of the temple courtyard, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these huge stones and these beautiful buildings!”

2Jesus said to him, “Do you see these large buildings? Not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down.”

3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the temple buildings, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?”

5Jesus answered them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. 6Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am he,’ and they will deceive many people.

7“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be alarmed! These things must happen, but they don’t mean that the end has come. 8Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These are only the beginning pains ⌞of the end⌟.

9“Be on your guard! People will hand you over to the Jewish courts and whip you in their synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings to testify to them because of me. 10But first, the Good News must be spread to all nations. 11When they take you away to hand you over to the authorities, don’t worry ahead of time about what you will say. Instead, say whatever is given to you to say when the time comes. Indeed, you are not the one who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit will.

12“Brother will hand over brother to death; a father will hand over his child. Children will rebel against their parents and kill them. 13Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.

14“When you see the disgusting thing that will cause destruction standing where it should not (let the reader take note), those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. 15Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses. 16Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.

17“How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. 18Pray that it will not be in winter. 19It will be a time of misery that has not happened from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and will certainly never happen again. 20If the Lord does not reduce that time, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.

21“At that time don’t believe anyone who tells you, ‘Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’ 22False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, those whom God has chosen. 23Be on your guard! I have told you everything before it happens.

24“Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, 25the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.

26“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27He will send out his angels, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.

28“Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know summer is near. 29In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that he is near, at the door.

30“I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place. 31The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

No One Knows When the Earth and the Heavens Will Disappear

32“No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows. 33Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time. 34It is like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge. He assigned work to each one and ordered the guard to be alert. 35Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning. 36Make sure he doesn’t come suddenly and find you asleep. 37I’m telling everyone what I’m telling you: ‘Be alert!’ ”

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