Mark 13
1 And as he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him, Teacher, see what stones and what 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 answering said to him, Seest thou these great buildings? not a stone shall be left upon a stone, which shall not be thrown 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 on the mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked 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 shall 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 Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any one mislead you.
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 shall come in my name, saying, It is I, and shall mislead many.
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 But when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be not disturbed, for [this] 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 shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in [different] places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these things [are the] beginnings of throes.
[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 ye, take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to sanhedrims and to synagogues: ye shall be beaten and brought before rulers and kings for my sake, 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 gospel 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 shall lead you away to deliver you up, be not careful beforehand as to what ye shall say, [nor prepare your discourse]: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak; for ye are not the speakers, 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 But brother shall deliver up brother to death, and father child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put 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 of all on account of my name; but he that has endured to the end, he shall 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 shall see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not, (he that reads let him consider [it], ) then let those in Judaea 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 him that is upon the housetop not come down into the house, nor enter [into it] to take away 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 him that is in the field not return back to take his garment.
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 that are with child and to those that give suck 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 that it may not be in winter time;
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 shall be distress such as there has not been the like since [the] beginning of creation which God created, until now, and never shall be;
20 and if [the] Lord had not cut short those days, no flesh should have been saved; but on account of the elect whom he has chosen, he has cut short those 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 one say to you, Lo, here [is] the Christ, or Lo, there, believe [it] not.
[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 give signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
23 But do ye take heed: behold, I have told you all things beforehand.
Be alert! Remember that [I] have warned you about all this before [it happens.]
24 But in those days, after that distress, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall 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 heaven shall be falling down, and the powers which are in the heavens shall 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 shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory;
Then people will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously.
27 and then shall he send his angels and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from end of earth to end 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 the parable from the fig-tree: when its branch already becomes tender and puts forth the leaves, ye know that the 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 Thus also ye, when ye see these things happening, know 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 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall in no wise pass away, till all these things take place.
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 heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise 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 of that day or of that hour no one knows, neither the angels who are 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 Take heed, watch and pray, for ye do not know 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 [it is] as a man gone out of the country, having left his house and given to his bondmen the authority, and to each one 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 do not know when the master of the house comes: evening, or midnight, or cock-crow, or 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 coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
[May it not happen that] when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready!
37 But 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].
