Mark Chapter 13
Mark Chapter 13 is a relatively short chapter in the Gospel of Mark useful for learning to read, or improving one's reading ability, by the superior method of phonics.
This chapter is mostly a wonderful, entertaining, and encouraging monologue by Jesus for the benefit of all.
Key words practiced in this chapter include:
Phonetic words
- divine
- magnificent
- ethnic
- fulfillment
- Abomination
- Desolation
- endure
Sight words
- Judea
Chapter 13
As they left the Temple, one of Jesus' students said, "Teacher, just look at the sort of stones and magnificent buildings in this place!" Jesus responded, "See these grand buildings? Not one stone will remain atop another which will not be destroyed."
As Jesus sat atop the Mount of Olives, looking at the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew requested a private conference. They asked, "When will these events take place, and what will be the sign of their fulfillment?" Jesus answered them, "Be on guard and don't let any man fool you. Many will come shouting My Name and say 'I am Christ!', and will fool many people. When you hear news of war and false rumor about them, don't worry, because they must occur but will not be the end. Ethnic groups and nation-states will attack one another. Earthquakes will occur in many lands. Famine and chaos will rule. These are the beginnings of the birth-pains.
"So take care of yourselves. The masses will hand you over to the tribunals, you will be beaten in houses of worship, and be hauled before leaders and kings for My sake, to testify against them. The good news has to be published among all ethnic groups first. But when they drag you in or betray you, do not worry about what to say. In that hour, you will be given the words to say, because the Divine Guide will be speaking for you and through you. Brother will betray brother to his death, father to son, children will rebel against their parents, and shall sign their death warrants. And you will be hated by every man on account of My Name, but you will be saved if you endure to the end. And when you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where it shouldn't - let the reader understand - then everyone living in Judea must flee into the mountains. If you're standing on the housetop, don't go down or into the house to take anything out.
"If you're in the field, don't turn back even to get your cloak. And it will be bad for pregnant and nursing women in those days! And pray that you don't have to flee in the wintertime. In those days you will see such oppression as has not been seen from the beginning of God's creation until today, nor will ever be seen again. If the Lord hadn't limited those days, no flesh would survive. But for the sake of His chosen ones, He has set a limit on the time.
"And then if any man tells you, 'Look! Here's Christ!' or 'Look! There He is!', don't believe him. False Christs and false prophets will rise up, working enough signs and wonders to lead even the chosen ones down the garden trail, if that were possible. But you beware: I have forewarned you about everything.
"But in those days that follow that oppression, the sun will go dark, and the moon not give her light, The stars of the sky will fall, and the powers in heaven will be shaken. Then people shall see 'the Son as man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory. Then He will send His Messengers, and will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from the furthest part of the earth to the furthest part of the sky.
"You can learn a great deal from the fig tree: when its branch is still tender, and it's putting out leaves, you know that summer is coming. Similarly, when you see these things happening, you know that My return is practically at your door. I tell you truly: this era will not pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth might pass away, but My Words will not pass away. But no man knows about that day or that hour. Even the Messengers in heaven don't know. I, the Son, don't know. Only the Father knows. Take care and stay alert, because you don't know what time it is.
"The Son as man is like a man traveling abroad, who left his house, and gave his slaves the proper authority, and a work assignment to every man, and ordered the doorkeeper to keep watch. So you keep watch. You don't know when the master of the house is coming. He could come in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or later in the morning. Don't let Him catch you napping! I'm telling you what I'm telling everyone: stay on watch."
See also
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