Mark 13
1 And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him, Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings.
While Jesus was leaving the Temple [area], one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at how marvelous [these] huge stones [in the walls are] and how wonderful [these] buildings [are]!”
2 And Jesus having answered, he said to him, See thou these great buildings? There will be left, no, not a stone upon a stone, that will, no, not be brought down.
Jesus said to him, “[Yes], these buildings that you are looking [at] [RHQ] [are wonderful], but I [want to tell you something about] them. They will [soon] be destroyed {[Foreign invaders] will destroy [them]} [completely, with the result that] no stone here [in this Temple area] will be left on top of another stone.”
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew questioned him privately,
After they arrived on Olive [Tree] Hill across [the valley] from the Temple, Jesus sat down. When Peter, James, John, and Andrew were alone with him, they asked him,
4 Tell us, when will these things be? And what is the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?
“Tell us, when will [that] happen [to the buildings of the Temple? Tell us what will happen that will show us that all these things that God has planned] are about to be finished {that [God] is about to finish all these things [that he has planned]}.”
5 And having answered them, Jesus began to say to them, Watch that not any man lead you astray.
Jesus replied to them, “[I cannot give you a simple answer to your questions. All I will say is], beware that no one deceives you [concerning what will happen]!
6 For many will come in my name, saying, I am, and they will lead many astray.
Many people will come and say (that I sent them/that they have my authority) [MTY]. They will say, ‘I am [the Messiah]!’ They will deceive many people.
7 And when ye may hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not alarmed, for it must happen, but the end is not yet.
Whenever people tell you about wars [that are close] or wars that are far away, do not be troubled. [God has said] that those things must happen. [But when they do happen, do not think] that [God] will finish all [that he has planned] at that time!
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginnings of travails.
[Groups who live in various] countries will fight each other, and various governments will fight each other. There will also be [big] earthquakes in various places; and there will be famines. Yet, [when these things happen, people will have only just begun to suffer. The first things that they suffer will be like] the first pains a woman [suffers] who is about to bear a child. [They will suffer much more after that].
9 But watch ye yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and ye will be beaten in synagogues. And ye will be stood before rulers and kings because of me, for a testimony to them.
Be ready for [what people will do to you at that time]. Because [you believe in] me, they will arrest you and put you on trial before the religious councils. (In the synagogues/In the Jewish meeting places), you will be beaten {others will beat you}. You will be put {[People will put] you} [on trial] in the presence of high government authorities. As a result, you will be able to tell them [about me].
10 And the good news must first be preached to all the nations.
My good message must be proclaimed {[You] must proclaim my good message} to [people in] all people-groups before [God finishes all that he has planned].
11 But when they lead you, delivering you up, be not anxious before what ye might speak, nor meditate. But whatever may be given you in that hour, speak ye this, for ye are not who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
And when people arrest you in order to prosecute you [because you believe in me], do not worry before that happens about what you will say. Instead, say what [God] puts into your mind at that time. Then it will not be [just] you who will be speaking. It will be the Holy Spirit [who will be speaking through you].
12 And brother will betray brother to death, and a father a child. And children will rise up against parents, and will condemn them to death.
[Other evil things will happen]: People [who do not believe in me] will (betray/help others seize) their brothers [and sisters] in order that [the government] can execute them. Parents [will betray] their children, and children will betray their parents so that [the government] will kill their parents.
13 And ye will be hated by all men because of my name, but he who endures to the end, this man will be saved.
[In general], you will be hated by most [HYP] people {most [HYP] people will hate you} because [you believe in] me. But all you who continue [to trust in me strongly] until your life is finished will be saved {[God] will save all you who continue [to trust in me strongly] until your life ends}.
14 But when ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let him who reads understand), then let those in Judea flee to the mountains,
[During that time] the disgusting [thing/person that the prophet Daniel described] will enter the Temple. It/He will defile [the Temple when he enters it and will cause people to abandon it. When you see it/him standing there] where it/he should not be, [you should run away quickly] (May everyone who is reading this pay attention to [this warning from Jesus]!) [At that time] those people who are in Judea [district] must flee to [higher] hills.
15 and let the man on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter in to take anything out of his house,
Those people who are outside their houses must not enter their houses in order to get anything [before they run away].
16 and let the man who is in the field not turn back for the things behind, to take his cloak.
Those who are [working] in a field must not return [to their houses] in order to get [additional] clothes [before they flee].
17 But woe to those who have in the womb, and to those who suckle in those days.
But I feel very sorry for women who will be pregnant and women who will be nursing their babies in those days, [because it will be very difficult for them to run away]
18 And pray ye that your flight may not be in winter.
In those days people will suffer very severely. People have never suffered like that since the time when God first created the world until now; and people will not [suffer that way] again. [So] pray that [this painful time] will not happen in (winter/the rainy season), [when it will be hard to travel].
19 For those days will be tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and no, will not happen.
20 And unless the Lord cut short the days, no flesh would have been saved, but because of the chosen, whom he chose, he cut short the days.
If the Lord [God] had not [decided that he would] shorten that time [when people suffer so much], everyone would die. But he has [decided to] shorten that time because [he is concerned about you] people whom he has chosen [DOU].
21 And then if any man should say to you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Lo, there, do not believe.
[At that time people who will] falsely [say that they are] Messiahs and prophets will appear. Then they will perform many kinds (of miracles/of things that ordinary people cannot do) [DOU]. They will even try to deceive [you] people whom God has chosen, [but they will not] be able to do that. So at that time if someone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or [if someone says], ‘Look, he is over there!’ do not believe it!
22 For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will give signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen.
23 But watch ye. Behold, I have foretold all to you.
Be alert! Remember that [I] have warned you about all this before [it happens.]
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
After the time when people suffer like that, the sun will become dark, the moon will not shine,
25 and the stars of the sky will be falling, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.
the stars will fall from the sky, and all things in the sky will be shaken {[God will cause] all things in the sky to shake}.
26 And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with much power and glory.
Then people will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously.
27 And then he will send forth his agents, and will gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the outermost part of the earth as far as the outermost part of heaven.
Then I will send out my angels in order that they gather together the people whom [God] has chosen from [everywhere, and that includes] all the most remote places on earth [IDM, DOU].
28 But learn a parable from the fig tree. When its branch now becomes tender, and sprouts the leaves, ye know that summer is near.
Now I [want you to] learn something from this parable about [the way] fig trees [grow]. [In this area], when their buds become tender and their leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.
29 So ye also, when ye may see these things happening, know ye that it is near, at the doors.
Similarly, when you see [what I have just described] happening, you yourselves will know that it is very near [the time for me to return] [MTY]. [It will be as though I am] already at the door [HEN].
30 Truly I say to you, that this generation will, no, not pass away, until all these things happen.
Keep this in mind: You have observed the things that I have done and said, but all of those events [that I have just told you about] will happen before all of you will die.
31 The sky and the earth will pass away, but my words may, no, not pass away.
You can [be certain that] these things [that I have prophesied] will happen. [You can be more certain of that than] you can [be certain that] the earth and what is in the sky will stay in place.
32 But about that day or that hour no man knows, not even the agents in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.
But no one knows the exact time [when I will return]. The angels in heaven also do not know. Even [I do not know.] Only my Father knows.
33 Watch ye! Be alert and pray, for ye know not when the time is,
So be ready, [like people who are waiting for an important man to come], because you do not know when that time will come [when all these events will happen]!
34 like a man abroad, having left his house, and having given authority to his bondmen, and to each man his work, and commanded the doorkeeper that he should watch.
When a man who wants to travel [to a distant place] is [about to] leave his house, he tells his servants that they should manage the house. [He tells] each one what he should do. Then he tells the doorkeeper to be ready [for his return].
35 Watch therefore, for ye know not when the lord of the house comes, at evening, or at midnight, or at cock crowing, or in the morning,
[That man must always be] ready, [because he does not know whether] his master will return in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn. [Similarly], you also must [always] be ready, because you do not know [when I will return].
36 lest having come suddenly, he may find you sleeping.
[May it not happen that] when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready!
37 And what I say to you I say to all, watch!
These words that I am saying to you [disciples] I am saying to everyone [who believes in me: Always] be ready!” [That is what Jesus warned his disciples].
