Mark 13:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

NIV: And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.

NASB: And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

CSB: And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations.

NLT: For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.

KJV: And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

NKJV: And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

Mark is the only Gospel author to record this quote, which has puzzled scholars for generations. "Nations" is from the Greek root word ethnos. It means any group of people that is affiliated in some way, whether by geography, culture, or tribe. Preterists and semi-preterists believe that end-times prophecy is not literal, and understand "nation" to mean the people groups within the Roman Empire, a much more reasonable goal, or the nations known to the people of Judea in this moment. The work of missionaries in the last hundred years proves that we do not have to interpret this verse so conservatively.

If the verse means the end times will not come until the gospel spreads to every people group on earth, we are almost there. According to the Bible translation ministry Wycliffe, the Bible has been at least partially translated into 3312 out of the 7099 languages currently known to be in use. The complete Bible has been translated in 670 languages and the New Testament in 1521. As of this writing, BibleRef.com's parent ministry, GotQuestions.org, has gospel presentation pages translated into 167 languages. Over eighty percent of the world has internet access, and that number is quickly rising with the spread of smartphones. Statisticians suggest that ninety percent of online users can be reached using only twenty-one languages.

We may never arrive at the place where every single person has heard the gospel. However, we are rapidly reaching the point where someone from every tribe will.

Mark 13:3–13 occurs less than a week after a crowd celebrated their belief that Jesus is the Son of David, come to restore Israel from her Roman oppressors (Mark 11:10). The disciples think Jesus spent the last three years preparing them to rule in His royal court (Mark 10:35–45). Moments ago, Jesus prophesied it is the temple and Jerusalem that will be destroyed, not the Romans (Mark 13:1–2). The disciples were understandably confused, even as He continues His dire predictions. Jesus' warnings are also recorded in Matthew 24:4–14 and Luke 21:8–19.

Days before the crucifixion, the disciples praise the glory of the temple. When Jesus tells them the temple will be destroyed, they ask for signs of that coming destruction and of His return (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answers their second question with information crucial for believers in the end times, and any time. Tribulation Christians will face horrifying hardships and violence, as may believers of any era, but they must remember that the hardships will not last. Jesus will return so quickly, any attempt to live by the world's rules will be futile.

The prior chapter contained several parables and Jesus' answer to assorted questions. In this section, Jesus turns His teaching towards the disciples. He explains concepts related to the end times: the still-future period when God will complete His plan for judgment on sin. Those details include a prophecy about the impending destruction of the temple. The final chapters of Mark then describe events up to and after the crucifixion of Jesus at the hands of His enemies.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.