Mark 13
1 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]!”
As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these massive stones and magnificent buildings!”
2 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.”
“You see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone will be left on top of another. Everything will be torn down.”
3 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,
As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him in private,
4 “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]}.”
“Tell us: when this will happen? What's the sign that all this is about to be fulfilled?”
5 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]!
Jesus began telling them, “Make sure no one deceives you.
6 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.
Many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am the Christ.’ They will deceive many people.
7 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!
Don't be troubled when you hear of wars nearby and wars far away. These things must happen but this is not the end.
8 [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].
Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines too. These are the beginnings of the world's birth pains.
9 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].
Watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to the courts to be tried. You will be beaten in synagogues. Because of me you will have to stand before governors and kings, and you will be witnesses to them.
10 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].
The good news must first be announced in every nation.
11 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].
When they come to arrest you and put you on trial, don't worry what to say. Just say what you're told at that time, because it's not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 [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.
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father will betray his child. Children will turn against their parents and have them condemned to death.
13 [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}.
You will be hated by everyone because of me, but whoever endures until the end will be saved.
14 [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.
But when you see the ‘idolatry that defiles’ standing where he should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea should run to the mountains.
15 Those people who are outside their houses must not enter their houses in order to get anything [before they run away].
Those who are on the roof—don't go back inside the house to get anything.
16 Those who are [working] in a field must not return [to their houses] in order to get [additional] clothes [before they flee].
Those who are out in the fields—don't go home to get a coat.
17 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]
How hard it will be for those who are pregnant or nursing at that time!
18 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].
Pray that this won't happen during the winter.
For these will be days of trouble like never before since the beginning of God's creation until now, and they won't ever come again.
20 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].
If God doesn't cut short these days, no one will survive. However, for the sake of those God has chosen, he has cut them short.
21 [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!
So if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘Look, there he is,’ don't believe it.
For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear, and they will perform miraculous signs and wonders to deceive the chosen of God, if that were possible.
23 Be alert! Remember that [I] have warned you about all this before [it happens.]
Watch out! I've told you everything before it happens.
24 After the time when people suffer like that, the sun will become dark, the moon will not shine,
This is what will happen after those troubles: ‘The sun will become dark, the moon won't shine,
25 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}.
the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’
26 Then people will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously.
Then they will see the Son of man as he comes on the clouds, possessing great power and glory.
27 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].
He will send out the angels, and gather together all his chosen ones from wherever they are, from the most distant part of the earth to the farthest point of heaven.
28 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.
Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches grow soft and send out leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 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].
In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that it's near—right outside the door!
30 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.
I tell you the truth, this generation won't come to an end until all these things have happened.
31 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.
Heaven and earth will come to an end, but my teachings will not.
32 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.
No one knows the day or hour when this will happen—not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son; only the Father knows.
33 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]!
Keep watch! Stay awake! For you don't know when this will happen.
34 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].
It's like a man who went away on a journey. He left his house, and gave each of his servants the authority to do what he told them. He told the doorkeeper to stay awake.
35 [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].
So keep watch, because you don't know when the owner of the house is coming back. It may be in the evening, in the middle of the night, before dawn, or in the morning.
36 [May it not happen that] when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready!
You don't want to be caught sleeping if he returns unexpectedly.
37 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].
What I'm telling you, I'm telling everyone: Watch!”
