Mark 13

¹ As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

² Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left standing on another—they will all be thrown down."

³ As he sat on the Mount of Olives across from 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 all these things are about to be fulfilled?"

⁵ Jesus began to say to them, "Watch yourselves—let no one lead you astray.

⁶ Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am,' and lead many astray.

⁷ When you hear of wars and reports of wars, don't be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is not yet.

⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in place after place. There will be famines. These are the beginning of labor pains.

⁹ But be on your guard. They will hand you over to local councils and flog you in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them.

¹⁰ And the good news must first be proclaimed to every nation.

¹¹ When they lead you away to hand you over, don't rehearse beforehand what to say. Whatever is given to you in that hour, say it — for you are not the ones speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his own child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

¹³ You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

¹⁴ "When you see the desecrating sacrilege standing where it must not stand" (let the reader understand), "then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.

¹⁵ The one on the housetop must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house.

¹⁶ and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

¹⁷ How dreadful it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!

¹⁸ Pray that it won't come in winter.

¹⁹ For in those days there will be such distress as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation God made until now—and never will.

²⁰ And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the chosen, whom he chose for himself, he cut short the days.

²¹ Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there!' don't believe it.

²² For false christs and false prophets will rise up and give signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

²³ But you—stay alert. I have told you everything beforehand.

²⁴ But in those days, after that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,

²⁵ the stars will be falling from the sky, and the heavenly powers will be shaken.

²⁶ And then they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory.

²⁷ Then he will send out his angels and gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

²⁸ From the fig tree, learn the parable: when its branch has already grown tender and its leaves break out, you know that summer is near.

²⁹ In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that he is near—right at the doors.

³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen.

³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³² But about that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son—except the Father.

³³ Watch out! Stay awake. For you don't know when the time is.

³⁴ It is like a man going abroad. He leaves his house, gives his slaves authority — each with his own work — and commands the doorkeeper to keep watching.

³⁵ So keep watch, because you don't know when the lord of the house will come—whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning.

³⁶ so that if he comes suddenly, he doesn't find you sleeping.

³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: Stay awake.