Mark 13:3-37

English Standard Version

Signs of the End of the Age

³And as he sat on ^(A)the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, ^(B)Peter and James and John and ^(C)Andrew asked him ^(D)privately, ⁴“Tell us, ^(E)when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” ⁵And Jesus began to say to them, ^(F)“See that no one leads you astray. ⁶^(G)Many will come in my name, saying, ^(H)‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, ^(I)do not be alarmed. This ^(J)must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸For ^(K)nation will rise against nation, and ^(L)kingdom against kingdom. There will be ^(M)earthquakes in various places; there will be ^(N)famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

⁹^(O)“But ^(P)be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten ^(Q)in synagogues, and you will stand before ^(R)governors and ^(S)kings for my sake, ^(T)to bear witness before them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be proclaimed ^(U)to all nations. ¹¹And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, ^(V)do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say ^(W)whatever is given you in that hour, ^(X)for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹²^(Y)And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. ¹³^(Z)And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. ^(AA)But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

¹⁴“But when you see ^(AB)the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (^(AC)let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵^(AD)Let the one who is on ^(AE)the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, ¹⁶and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. ¹⁷And ^(AF)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸Pray that it may not happen in winter. ¹⁹For in those days there will be ^(AG)such ^(AH)tribulation as has not been ^(AI)from the beginning of the creation that ^(AJ)God created until now, and never will be. ²⁰And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for ^(AK)the sake of the elect, whom ^(AL)he chose, he shortened the days. ²¹And ^(AM)then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²²^(AN)For false christs and false prophets will arise and ^(AO)perform signs and wonders, ^(AP)to lead astray, if possible, ^(AQ)the elect. ²³But ^(AR)be on guard; ^(AS)I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁴“But in those days, after ^(AT)that tribulation, ^(AU)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵and ^(AV)the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶And then they will see ^(AW)the Son of Man coming in clouds ^(AX)with great power and glory. ²⁷And then ^(AY)he will send out the angels and ^(AZ)gather ^(BA)his elect from ^(BB)the four winds, from ^(BC)the ends of the earth ^(BD)to the ends of heaven.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

²⁸“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, ^(BE)at the very gates. ³⁰^(BF)Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³¹^(BG)Heaven and earth will pass away, but ^(BH)my words will not pass away.

No One Knows That Day or Hour

³²“But concerning that day or that hour, ^(BI)no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, ^(BJ)nor the Son, ^(BK)but only the Father. ³³^(BL)Be on guard, ^(BM)keep awake.^[a] For you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴^(BN)It is like a man ^(BO)going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants^[b] in charge, ^(BP)each with his work, and commands ^(BQ)the doorkeeper to stay awake. ³⁵^(BR)Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, ^(BS)in the evening, or ^(BT)at midnight, or ^(BU)when the rooster crows,^[c] or ^(BV)in the morning— ³⁶lest ^(BW)he come suddenly and ^(BX)find you asleep. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: ^(BY)Stay awake.”