Mark 13

1As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him: Teacher, look! What huge stones! What wonderful buildings!

2Jesus replied: Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another. Every one will be thrown down.

3Later Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him in private:

4Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to come true?

5Jesus said to them: Be careful that no one fools you.

6Many will come using my name. They will say: I am the Christ. And they will fool many people.

7When you hear about wars and reports of wars, do not be afraid. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.

8Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places, and there will be times with no food. These are only the beginning of the birth pains.

9Be on your guard. People will hand you over to the courts, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will have to stand before rulers and kings because of me, to tell them the truth.

10And the good news must first be preached to all nations.

11When they arrest you and put you on trial, do not worry ahead of time about what to say. Just say whatever you are given to say at that time, because it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12Brother will hand over brother to be killed, and a father will hand over his child. Children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

13Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who stands strong to the end will be saved.

14You will see the terrible thing that destroys standing where it should not be. (Let the reader understand.) When you see this, the people in Judea should run to the mountains.

15A person on the roof of a house should not go down or go inside to take anything out.

16A person in the field should not go back to get a coat.

17How hard it will be in those days for women who are pregnant or nursing babies!

18Pray that this will not happen in winter.

19Those will be terrible days — worse than any since the beginning, when God made the world, and worse than any that will ever come again.

20If the Lord had not made those days shorter, no one would be saved. But for the sake of his chosen people, the Lord has made those days shorter.

21At that time, if anyone says to you: Look, here is the Christ! or, Look, there he is! — do not believe it.

22For false Christs and false prophets will appear. They will do signs and wonders to fool people, even God's chosen ones, if that were possible.

23So be on your guard. I have told you everything ahead of time.

24In those days, after that terrible time, the sun will become dark, and the moon will not give its light.

25The stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

26Then people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27And the Son of Man will send His angels to gather His chosen people from every direction, from one end of the earth and sky to the other.

28Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches become soft and the leaves begin to grow, you know that summer is near.

29In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that the time is near, right at the door.

30I tell you the truth, the people living now will not all die before these things happen.

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

32No one knows the day or the hour, not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

33Be on your guard! Stay awake! You do not know when the time will come.

34It is like a man who goes away on a trip. He leaves his house, puts his servants in charge — each with his own work — and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35So keep watch, because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn.

36If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

37What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!