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 walking out of the Temple Courts, one of his disciples said to him: “Teacher, look what fine stones and buildings these are!”
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.”
“Do you see these great buildings?” asked Jesus. “Not a single stone will be left here upon another, which shall not be thrown 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,
When Jesus had sat down on the Mount of Olives, facing the Temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately:
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 be, and what will be the sign when all this is drawing to its close.”
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]!
Then Jesus began: “See that no one leads you astray.
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 take my name, and come saying ‘I am He’, and will lead many astray.
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!
“And, when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; such things must occur; but the end is not yet.
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].
For ‘nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom’; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This will be but the beginning of the birth-pangs.
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].
“See to yourselves! They will betray you to courts of law; and you will be taken to Synagogues and beaten; and you will be brought up before governors and kings for my sake, that you may bear witness before 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].
But the Good News must first be proclaimed to 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].
Whenever they betray you and hand you over for trial, do not be anxious beforehand as to what you shall say, but say whatever is given you at the moment; for it will not be you who speak, 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 the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put 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}.
and you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall 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.
“As soon, however, as you see ‘the Foul Desecration’ standing where he ought not” (the reader must consider what this means) “then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains;
15 Those people who are outside their houses must not enter their houses in order to get anything [before they run away].
and a man on the house-top must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house:
16 Those who are [working] in a field must not return [to their houses] in order to get [additional] clothes [before they flee].
nor must one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak.
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]
And alas for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days!
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, too, that this may not occur in winter.
For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God’s creation until now — and never will 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].
And, had not the Lord put a limit to those days, not a single soul would escape; but, for the sake of God’s own chosen People, he did limit them.
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!
“And at that time if any one should say to you ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ ‘Look, there he is!’, do not believe it;
for false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and display signs and marvels, to lead astray, were it possible, even God’s People.
23 Be alert! Remember that [I] have warned you about all this before [it happens.]
But see that you are on your guard! I have told you all this beforehand.
24 After the time when people suffer like that, the sun will become dark, the moon will not shine,
“In those days, after that time of distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light,
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 be falling from the heavens,’ and ‘the forces that are in the heavens will be convulsed.’
26 Then people will see [me], the one who came from heaven, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously.
Then will be seen the ‘Son of Man coming in clouds’ with 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].
and then he will send the angels, and gather his People from the four winds, from one end of the world to the other.
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 the lesson taught by the fig-tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, 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].
And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that he is at your doors.
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 that even the present generation will not pass away, until all these things have taken place.
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.
The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
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.
“But about ‘That Day,’ or ‘The Hour,’ no one knows — not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son — but only the Father.
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]!
“See that you are on the watch; for you do not know when the time will be.
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 is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his home, puts his servants in charge — each having his special duty — and orders the porter to watch.
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].
Therefore watch, for you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming — whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning —
36 [May it not happen that] when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready!
lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep.
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].
And what I say to you I say to all — Watch!”
