Mark 13:20

Mark 13:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
• New International Version (NIV)“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
• New Living Translation (NLT)In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

Context of Mark 13:20

18And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Mark 13:20 word by word

καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐκολόβωσεν κύριος τὰς ἡμέρας, οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθη πᾶσα σάρξ· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς οὓς ἐξελέξατο ἐκολόβωσεν τὰς ἡμέρας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• exceptεἰei · if: notG1487
• exceptμήmē · notG3361
• that the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• had shortenedκολοβόωkoloboō · to shortenG2856
• those daysὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• those daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• noοὐou · noG3756
• noἄνan · ifG302
• fleshπᾶςpas · allG3956
• fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• should be savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the elect’s sakeἐκλεκτόςeklektos · selectG1588
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he hath chosenἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586

Cross-references for Mark 13:20

• Isaiah 1:9Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
• Isaiah 6:13But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.”
• Isaiah 65:8Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.
• Zechariah 13:8And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one–third shall be left in it:
• Matthew 24:22And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
• Romans 11:5Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Commentaries on Mark 13:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Had shortened those days - Because of his chosen, added by D, Armenian, and five of the Itala. See Matthew 24:22.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-23Verses 14-23 The Jews in rebelling against the Romans, and in persecuting the Christians, hastened their own ruin apace. Here we have a prediction of that ruin which came upon them within less than forty years after this. Such destruction and desolation, that the like cannot be found in any history. Promises of power to persevere, and cautions against falling away, well agree with each other. But the more we consider these things, the more we shall see…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20God’s shortening of this time of suffering is mentioned often in Jewish writings written between the Old and New Testaments (for example, 2 Esdras 2:13; 2 Baruch 20:1). This statement emphasizes both the terrible suffering of God’s people during this tribulation (a time of great trouble) and God’s mercy in shortening those days. nobody would be saved: The whole population of Judea might have died if this time of suffering had lasted longer. elect: These…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh--that is, no human life. should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days--But for this merciful "shortening," brought about by a remarkable concurrence of causes, the whole nation would have perished, in which there yet remained a remnant to be afterwards gathered out. This portion of the prophecy closes, in Luke, with the following vivid and…Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 13:20

• Jerusalem
• Jesus Continued
• Predestination
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Choose
• Predestination
• Andrew
• Choose; Chosen
• Elect
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Flesh
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Millennium, Premillennial View

Commentaries on Mark 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings