^13:3So⁶ while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John,⁷ and Andrew asked him privately, ^13:4“Tell us, when will these things⁸ happen? And what will be the sign that all these things are about to take place?” ^13:5Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out⁹ that no one misleads you. ^13:6Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’¹⁰ and they will mislead many. ^13:7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.¹¹^13:8For nation will rise up in arms¹² against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines.¹³ These are but the beginning of birth pains.

Persecution of Disciples

^13:9“You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over¹⁴ to councils¹⁵ and beaten in the synagogues.¹⁶ You will stand before governors and kings¹⁷ because of me, as a witness to them. ^13:10First the gospel must be preached to all nations. ^13:11When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time,¹⁸ for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. ^13:12Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against¹⁹ parents and have them put to death. ^13:13You will be hated by everyone because of my name.²⁰ But the one who endures to the end will be saved.²¹

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Footnotes

6 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
7 Grk “and James and John,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
8 Both references to these things are plural, so more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.
9 Or “Be on guard.”
10 That is, “I am the Messiah.”
11 Grk “it is not yet the end.”
12 For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
14 Grk “They will hand you over.” “They” is an indefinite plural, referring to people in general. The parallel in Matt 10:17 makes this explicit.
15 Councils in this context refers to local judicial bodies attached to the Jewish synagogue. This group would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
16 See the note on synagogue in .
17 These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of councils and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts.
18 Grk “in that hour.”
19 Or “will rebel against.”
21 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus was not claiming here that salvation is by works, because he had already taught that it is by grace (cf. 10:15). He was simply arguing that genuine faith evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials.

Cross references

13 See Isa 5:13–14; 13:6–16; Hag 2:6–7; Zech 14:4.
20 See 1 Cor 1:25–31.