The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

(Matthew 24:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)

While Jesus was leaving the temple area, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at how marvelous these huge stones are and how wonderful these buildings are!”

Jesus said to him, “Yes, these buildings that you are looking at are wonderful, but I want to tell you something about them. They will be destroyed completely. No stone here in this temple area will remain on top of another stone.”

After they arrived at the Mount of Olives across the valley from the temple, Jesus sat down. When Peter, James, John, and Andrew were alone with him, they asked him,

“Tell us, when will these things happen? What will happen to show us these things are about to take place?”

Jesus replied to them, “Beware that no one deceive you concerning what will happen!

Many people will come and say that I sent them. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah!’ They will deceive many people.

When you hear the sound of soldiers fighting battles, or when you hear news about wars that are far away, do not be troubled. These things will definitely happen. But when they do happen, do not think that God will finish all that he has planned at that time!

Groups who live in various countries will fight each other, and various kings and leaders will fight each other. There will also be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. Yet, when these things happen, people will have only just begun to suffer. These 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.

Witnessing to All Nations

(Matthew 24:9–14; Luke 21:10–19)

Be ready for what people will do to you at that time. They will arrest you and put you on trial before groups of leaders. People will beat you in various synagogues. They will put you on trial in the presence of high government authorities. As a result, you will be able to tell them about me.

My followers must proclaim the good news to people in all nations before God finishes everything that he has planned.

When people arrest you, do not worry 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.

Some brothers and sisters will betray other brothers and sisters. Some fathers will betray their children. Some children will betray their parents so that government officials will kill their parents.

Most people will hate you because you believe in me. But all you who continue to trust in me until your life is finished will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

(Matthew 24:15–25; Luke 21:20–24)

During that time the detestable thing will enter the temple. It will defile the temple and cause people to abandon it. When you see it where it should not be, you should run away quickly! (May everyone who is reading this pay attention to this warning!) At that time those people who are in the district of Judea should flee to higher hills.

Those people who are outside their houses should not enter their houses in order to get anything.

Those who are working in a field should not return to their houses in order to get additional clothes.

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!

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, when it will be hard to travel.

If 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 the people whom he has chosen.

At that time people will falsely say that they are the Messiah. And some will appear claiming to be prophets from God.

Then they will perform many kinds of miracles. They will even try to deceive the people whom God has chosen. So at that time if someone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’, or if someone says, ‘Look, there he is!’, do not believe it!

Be alert! Remember that I have warned you about all this before it happens!

The Return of the Son of Man

(Matthew 24:26–31; Luke 21:25–28)

After the time when people suffer like that, the sun will become dark, and the moon will not shine;

the stars will fall from the sky, and all powerful things in the sky will be shaken out of their place.

Then people will see me, the Son of Man, coming through the clouds powerfully and gloriously.

Then I will send out my angels so they can gather together the people whom God has chosen from everywhere, from the most remote places on earth.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Matthew 24:32–35; Luke 21:29–33)

Now I want you to learn something from how fig trees grow. When their branches become tender and their leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near for us.

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. It will be as though I am already at the door.

Keep this in mind: This generation will not die until these things take place.

You can be certain that these things that I have prophesied will happen. The earth and what is in the sky will one day be destroyed, but these things that I have told you will certainly happen.

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Luke 12:35–48)

But no one knows the exact time when I will return. The angels in heaven also do not know. Even I, God’s Son, do not know. Only my Father knows.

So be ready! Always be alert, because you do not know when that time will come when all these events will happen!

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.

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.

May it not happen that when I come suddenly, I will find that you are not ready!

These words that I am saying to you disciples I am saying to everyone: Always be ready!”

(Matthew 24:1–8; Luke 21:5–9)

As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!”

Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.”

As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,

“Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”

Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ (a) and will lead many astray.

“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

Witnessing to All Nations

(Matthew 24:9–14; Luke 21:10–19)

“But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.

When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

(Matthew 24:15–25; Luke 21:20–24)

“But when you see the abomination of desolation, (b) spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.

Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.

But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!

Pray that your flight won’t be in the winter.

For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.

Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.

Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.

For false christs and false prophets will arise and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

But you watch. “Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

The Return of the Son of Man

(Matthew 24:26–31; Luke 21:25–28)

But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,

the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. (c)

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

(Matthew 24:32–35; Luke 21:29–33)

“Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near;

even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.

Most certainly I say to you, this generation (d) will not pass away until all these things happen.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Readiness at Any Hour

(Matthew 24:36–51; Luke 12:35–48)

“But of that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is.

“It is like a man traveling to another country, having left his house and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

Watch therefore, for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming—whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

lest, coming suddenly, he might find you sleeping.

What I tell you, I tell all: Watch!”

Footnotes

(a)13:6 or, “I AM!”

(b)13:14 ℘ Daniel 9:17; 11:31; 12:11

(d)13:30 The word translated “generation” (genea) could also be translated “race”, “family”, or “people”.