watch

Mark 13:35-37

"35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."

"Watch."

Mark 13, often called the Markan Apocalypse or Olivet Discourse, features Jesus predicting the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and outlining signs of the end times. Sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus warns His disciples that not one stone will be left on another of the magnificent Temple, a prophecy fulfilled by the Romans in 70 AD. 

The chapter details various tribulations that will precede the end, including false messiahs, wars, earthquakes, and famines, which Jesus describes as the "beginning of birth pains." Believers are warned of severe persecution, including betrayal by family members and hatred from all nations, but are promised that the Gospel must first be preached to all nations. Jesus instructs them to remain vigilant, noting that those who endure to the end will be saved. 

A key sign mentioned is the "abomination of desolation," which signals the need for immediate flight to the mountains. The discourse culminates in the Second Coming of Christ, described as a visible, glorious event where He gathers His elect from the four winds. Jesus emphasizes that while the exact day and hour of His return are unknown, believers must watch, pray, and remain faithful in their daily duties.