Mark 13:14-23

The Great Tribulation

14 "When you see the abomination that causes desolation [a] standing where it should not" (let the reader understand),[b] "then those in Judea must flee to the mountains!
15 A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house.
16 And a man in the field must not go back to get his clothes.
17 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days!
18 Pray it [c] won't happen in winter.
19 For those will be days of tribulation, the kind that hasn't been from the beginning of the world, [d] which God created, until now and never will be again!
20 Unless the Lord limited those days, no one would survive. [e] But He limited those days because of the elect, whom He chose.
21 "Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah! Look-there!' do not believe it!
22 For false messiahs [f] and false prophets will rise up and will perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
23 And you must watch! I have told you everything in advance.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. Dn 9:27
  • [b]. These are, most likely, Mark's words to his readers.
  • [c]. Other mss read pray that your escape
  • [d]. Lit creation
  • [e]. Lit days, all flesh would not survive
  • [f]. Or false christs
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