Mark 13

1 As Jesus was leaving [going out of, departing from] the temple [a sacred place, the inner sanctuary], one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher [a master or instructor], look [behold, see] at the magnificent [large, impressive] stones [rocks or building materials] and buildings [structures or constructions]!” word study 2 “Do you see [perceive, behold] all these great [large, magnificent] buildings [structures, constructions]?” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] replied. “Not one stone [rock, foundation] here will be left [remain, stay] on another [upon, against]; every one [each, all] will be thrown [torn, destroyed] down [demolished, ruined].” word study 3 While Jesus was sitting [seated, resting] on the Mount [hill, elevation] of Olives [a tree that produces olives] opposite [directly across from, facing] the temple [a sacred place, the center of worship], Peter [a rock, a leader], James [a supplanter, a follower of Jesus], John [God is gracious, a beloved disciple], and Andrew [manly, courageous] asked Him [in a quiet manner] privately [in secret, away from the crowd], word study 4 “Tell us [inform us, declare to us], when [at what time, when will it be] will these things [events, happenings] happen [occur, take place]? And what [which, what kind] will be the sign [token, indication] that they [these events, all these things] are about [on the point of, ready] to be fulfilled [completed, brought to an end]?” word study 5 Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] began by telling them, “See to it [take heed, be careful] that no one [any person, anyone] deceives [leads astray, tricks] you [directly addressing them]. word study 6 Many [a large multitude, numerous] will come [approach, arrive] in My [the Messiah’s, God’s] name [authority, character], claiming [asserting, saying], ‘I am [exist as, am the Christ] He [the Messiah, the Savior],’ and will deceive [lead astray, mislead] many [a great number, numerous]. word study 7 When [at any time, whenever] you hear [perceive and understand] of wars [conflicts, battles] and rumors [reports, news] of wars [conflicts, battles], do not be alarmed [troubled, frightened]. These things [events, circumstances] must happen [occur, come to pass], but the end [goal, conclusion] is still [not yet] to come. word study 8 Nation [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] will rise [arise, stand up] against nation, and kingdom [God’s royal power] against kingdom. There will be earthquakes [shakings of the ground] in various places [different locations], as well as famines [times of hunger, lack of food]. These are the beginning [start, origin] of birth pains [labor, extreme suffering]. word study 9 So be on your guard [watch out, take heed to yourselves]. You will be delivered over [handed over, surrendered] to the councils [Sanhedrins, Jewish governing bodies] and beaten [scourged, flayed] in the synagogues [Jewish meeting places, assemblies]. On My account [for My sake, because of Me] you will stand [be placed, set] before governors [rulers, high-ranking officials] and kings [sovereign rulers, monarchs] as witnesses [testifiers, those who give testimony] to them [against them, for a testimony unto them]. word study 10 And [also, in addition] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] must [be necessary, it is required] first [before all else, initially] be proclaimed [preached, published, heralded] to [toward, among] all [every, the whole of] the nations [Gentiles, people groups, ethnic groups]. word study 11 But when [at the uncertain future time, whenever] they arrest you and hand you over [deliver you up, surrender you], do not worry [be anxious, be troubled] beforehand what to say [what words to speak]. Instead, speak [utter, talk] whatever you are given [receive, granted] at that time [hour, moment], for it will not be you speaking [talking, uttering], but the Holy [set apart, sanctified] Spirit [the divine breath, the vital principle]. word study 12 Brother [a male sibling or fellow Christian] will betray [deliver up, surrender] brother to death [physical or spiritual], and a father [a male parent] his child [a son or daughter]. Children [sons and daughters] will rise against their parents [fathers and mothers] and have them put to death [killed, executed]. word study 13 You will be hated [detested, loved less] by everyone [all men, all people] because of My name [My character, My authority], but the one who perseveres [endures, remains] to the end [the goal, the conclusion] will be saved [delivered, rescued]. word study 14 So when [at any time, whenever] you see the abomination [idolatry, a detestable thing] of desolation [devastation, laying waste] standing where it should not be [in a place it ought not to be] (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea [the region of southern Palestine] flee [run away quickly, escape] to the mountains [high elevations, a place of refuge]. word study 15 Let no one [nor anyone, not even] on the housetop [upon the roof, outside] go back [down to the ground, return] inside to retrieve [take, fetch, or bring out] anything [one thing, something] from his house [home, dwelling place, or family]. word study 16 And let no one [not a single person] in the field [countryside, rural area] return [turn back, go back] for his cloak [outer garment, mantle] [do not go back to take up]. word study 17 How miserable [woe, expressing deep sorrow] those days will be for pregnant [with child, expecting a baby] and nursing [suckling, feeding at the breast] mothers [women who have given birth, caregivers]! word study 18 Pray [to petition God, to worship] that this [your flight, escape] will not [lest, God forbid] occur [happen, come into being] in the [rainy season, stormy period] winter [cold season, time of hardship]. word study 19 For those will be days [of great sorrow, affliction] of tribulation [pressure, distress] unmatched [such as was not, unparalleled] from the beginning [origin, start] of God’s [the supreme Creator, Elohim] creation [the act of creating, the thing created] until now [the present time], and never [not at any time] to be seen [experienced, encountered] again [in the future]. word study 20 If the Lord [God, the supreme ruler] had not cut short [shortened, reduced in duration] those days [periods of time, epochs], nobody [no flesh, no human] would be saved [rescued, delivered from harm]. But for the sake of the elect [chosen ones, select few], whom He has chosen [selected, picked out], He has cut them short [reduced the time, made it brief]. word study 21 At that time [then, at a specific point] if anyone [a person, someone] says to you, ‘Look [see, behold], here [in this place] is the Christ [Messiah, anointed one]!’ or ‘There [in that place] He is [exists, is present]!’ do not [by no means] believe [trust, have faith in] it. word study 22 For false [impostor, pretending to be the Messiah] Christs and false [deceptive, claiming to speak for God] prophets will appear [rise up, come into prominence] and perform [show, demonstrate] signs [miraculous events, wonders] and wonders [supernatural marvels, astonishing deeds] that would deceive [lead astray, mislead] even the elect [chosen ones, select believers], if that were possible [if it were within their power, if it could happen]. word study 23 So be on your guard [watch out, take heed]; I have told [foretold, warned] you [directly, personally] everything [all things, every event] in advance [beforehand, beforehand warning]. word study 24 But [in contrast, on the other hand] in those [specific, prophesied] days, after [following, subsequent to] that [great, intense] tribulation [pressure, affliction]: ‘The sun [the celestial body] will be darkened [obscured, made less visible], and the moon [the lunar body] will not give [bestow, grant] its light [brightness, radiance]; word study 25 the stars [celestial bodies, heavenly luminaries] will fall [be falling, come crashing down] from the sky [heaven, the atmosphere], and the powers [miraculous abilities, divine strengths] of the heavens [the spiritual realm, the sky] will be shaken [agitated, thoroughly moved].’ word study 26 At that time [then, at a specific point] they will see [perceive, experience] the Son [Child, descendant] of Man [a human, the Messiah] coming [arriving, returning] in the clouds [visible masses of water vapor, heavenly chariots] with great [much, abundant] power [strength, authority] and glory [honor, praise, divine presence]. word study 27 And He will send out [dispatch on a mission] the angels [heavenly messengers] to gather [collect, assemble] His elect [chosen ones, select] from the four winds [directions, spiritual forces], from the ends [farthest reaches, extremities] of the earth [the land, the physical world] to the ends [farthest points, utmost boundaries] of heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place]. word study 28 Now learn [gain spiritual insight, understand] this lesson [parable, moral teaching] from the fig tree: As soon [at the appointed time, when] as its branches [small parts, extensions] become tender [soft, gentle] and sprout [put forth, grow] leaves [new growth], you know [understand, recognize] that summer [the warm season, a time of harvest] is near [close at hand, approaching]. word study 29 So also [in like manner], when you see [perceive, take notice of] these things [events, signs] happening [coming to pass, unfolding], know [be aware, understand] that He [the Messiah, Jesus] is near [close at hand, approaching], right at the door [even at the threshold, very near]. word study 30 Truly [verily, with absolute certainty] I tell you, this [present, current] generation [group of people living at the same time] will not [by no means, never] pass away [come to an end, perish] until [before, up to the point when] all [every, everything] these things [events, happenings] have happened [be accomplished, come to pass]. word study 31 Heaven [the sky and God’s home] and earth [the soil, a region, or the entire globe] will pass away [come to an end, perish], but My words [message, idea, or teachings] will never [not at all, under no circumstances] pass away [be destroyed, lost, or forgotten]. word study 32 No one [nobody, none] knows about [concerning, regarding] that day [specific time, appointed hour] or hour [exact moment, precise time], not even the angels [messengers of God, heavenly beings] in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place], nor the Son [Jesus Christ, the Messiah], but only the Father [God, the Creator, the Almighty]. word study 33 Be on your guard [take heed, watch] and stay alert [keep awake, pray]! For you do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge] when [at what time, in what moment] the appointed time [the right time, the opportune moment] will come [arrive, occur]. word study 34 It is like [as when, in a similar manner] a man [a human being] going on a journey [traveling to a distant place, absent from home] who left [released, departed from] his house [home or household], put [gave authority to, entrusted] each servant [slave or servant] in charge of [with responsibility for] his own task [work or occupation], and instructed [commanded, ordered] the doorkeeper [gatekeeper or porter] to keep watch [to stay awake, be vigilant]. word study 35 Therefore [in light of this, for this reason] keep watch [be vigilant, stay awake], because you do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge] when the master [lord, owner] of the house [home, household] will return [come back, arrive]—whether [at the time of] in the evening [late, at sunset], at midnight [the middle of the night], when the rooster crows [at cockcrowing, the third night watch], or in the morning [at dawn, early]. word study 36 Otherwise [lest, for fear that], he may arrive [come suddenly] without notice and find [discover, meet] you [personally, as individuals] sleeping [asleep, in a state of spiritual slumber, to be in a condition of inactivity or indifference]. word study 37 And what I say [declare, proclaim] to you [as my disciples], I say [speak, teach] to everyone [all people, every believer]: Keep watch [be vigilant, stay awake, watchful] [always be ready, on the alert]!” word study