Mark 13:3-37

3As He was sitting on 1the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, 2Peter, 3James, John, and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things come about, and what will be the 4sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 6Many will come in My name, saying, ‘5I am He!’ and they will mislead many. 7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are only the beginning of birth pains.

9“But 6be on your guard; for they will 7hand you over to the 8courts, and you will be flogged 9in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 1010And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 1111And when they 12arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for you are not the ones speaking, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and 13have them put to death. 13And 14you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

14“Now 15when you see the 16abomination of desolation standing where it should not be--17let the 18reader understand--then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 151920Whoever is on the 21housetop must not go down, nor go in to get anything out of his house. 16And 22whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 17But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18Moreover, pray that it will not happen in winter. 19For those days will be such a time of tribulation as has not occurred 23since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will again. 20And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no 24life would have been saved; but for the sake of the 25elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the 26Christ’; or, ‘Look, there He is’; do not believe it; 22for false christs and 27false prophets will arise, and will provide 28signs and 29wonders, in order to mislead, if possible, the elect. 23But beware; I have told you everything in advance.

24“But in those days, after that tribulation, 30the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, 2531and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see 32the Son of Man 33coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And then He will send forth the angels, and 34will gather together His 35elect from the four winds, 36from the end of the earth to the end of heaven.

28“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So you too, when you see these things happening, 37recognize that 38He is near, right at the 39door. 30Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 3240But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

33“Watch out, 41stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is. 3442It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and 43putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35Therefore, 44stay alert--for you do not know when the 45master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or 46when the rooster crows, or 47in the morning-- 36so that he does not come suddenly and find you 48asleep. 37What I say to you I say to all: ‘49Stay alert!’”