Mar 13 | BSB | STEP | As [Jesus] was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at [the magnificent] stones and buildings!”

Mark 13

Temple Destruction Foretold

1 As [Jesus] was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at [the magnificent] stones and buildings!” 2 “Do you see [all] these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not [one] stone here will be left on [another] ; [every one] will be toppled.” 3 While [Jesus] was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when {will} these things happen? And what [will be] the sign that [they] are about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus began by telling them, “See to it [that] [no one] deceives you. 6 Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am [He] ,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, {do} not be alarmed. [ These things ] must happen, but the end [is] still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, [as well as] famines. These [are] [the] beginning of birth pains.

Witnessing to All Nations

9 [So] be on your guard. You will be delivered over to [the] councils and beaten in [the] synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you [and] hand [you] over, {do} not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father [his] child. Children will rise against [their] parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the [one who] perseveres to [the] end will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

14 So when you see the abomination of desolation ^{▼▼Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. BYZ and TR include spoken of by Daniel the prophet} standing where it should not be ^{▼▼Or he should not be} ({let} the reader understand) , then {let} those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 {Let} [no one] on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house. 16 And {let} [no one] in the field return for his cloak. 17 [How] miserable those days [will be] for pregnant and nursing [mothers] ! 18 Pray that it will not occur in the winter. 19 For [in] those days there will be tribulation unmatched from [the] beginning of God’s creation until now, and never to be seen again. 20 If [the] Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has shortened [them] . 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here [is] the Christ!’ [or] ‘There [He is] !’ do not believe [it] . 22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive [even] the elect, if [that were] possible. 23 [So] be on your guard; I have told you everything {in advance} .

The Return of the Son of Man

24 However, after the tribulation of those days, ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ ^{▼▼Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10} 26 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in [the] clouds with great power and glory. ^{▼▼See Daniel 7:13-14} 27 And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from [the] ends of [the] earth to [the] ends of heaven.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28 Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, know that He is near, ^{▼▼Or it is near} right at [the] door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

Readiness at Any Hour

32 But as for that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on your guard [and] stay alert! ^{▼▼BYZ and TR include and pray} For you do not know when the appointed time will come. 34 [It is] like a man going on a journey [who] left his house, put each servant in charge of his [own] task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch. 35 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return— whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. 36 Otherwise, he may arrive without notice [and] find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”