Three Don’ts Concerning Christ’s Return – Mark 13:1-37
13 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What a magnificent building! (2) But Jesus said to him, You see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left upon another, every one of them will be thrown down to the ground. (3) As he sat on the mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, (4) Tell us, when shall these things happen? And what shall be the sign that these things are all about to occur?
(5) Then Jesus began to teach them by saying, Be careful that no one leads you astray. (6) Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; but they shall lead many astray. (7) When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. It is necessary for these things to happen; but the end has not yet come—(8) for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in various places; there shall be famines—these things are the beginning of birth pains. (9) But watch out for yourselves; because they will hand you over to councils; and in synagogues you shall be beaten; and you shall stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be a testimony to them. (10) But the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. (11) Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what you will say; rather, speak whatever words are given to you in that hour; for it is not you who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. (12) Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father will betray his child; and children will stand up against parents and cause them to be put to death. (13) You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake; but whoever endures to the end, he shall be saved.
(14) But when you see “the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it ought not (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (15) Let him who is on the housetop not go down nor enter his house to retrieve anything from his house. (16) Let him who is in the field not return home to get his cloak. (17) How dreadful will it be for those women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing in those days! (18) Pray that these things will not occur in the winter. (19) Those shall be days of tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning, when God created the world, until now, and never shall occur again. (20) If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would survive; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he has shortened those days. (21) At that time if anyone shall say to you, Look, here is the Christ! Or, Look, there he is! Do not believe him; (22) because false Christs and false prophets shall appear, and shall perform signs and wonders, in order that they might, if possible, lead the elect astray. (23) So beware. Listen, I have told you all these things in advance.
(24) But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, (25) and the stars shall fall from the heavens, and the heavenly bodies shall be shaken. (26)Then they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. (27) And then he shall send out the angels, and he shall gather together his elect from the four winds—from the most distant part of the earth to the most distant part of heaven.
(28) Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that the summer is near. (29) In the same way, when you see these things beginning to happen, realize that it is near—at the door. (30) I tell you the truth, This generation shall not pass away before all these things have happened. (31) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
(32) But no one knows when that day or that hour shall occur, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (33) Beware, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come. (34) It is like when a man travels to another country, leaving his house and giving authority to his servants, assigning to each one his work, and also instructing the doorkeeper to stay alert. (35) Stay alert, therefore; because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether he will come in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows at daybreak, or in the morning. (36) Stay alert, so that when he suddenly comes he will not find you sleeping. (37) Now what I say to you, I am saying to everyone, Stay alert.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
