Mark 13:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore stay awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning —

NIV: "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.

NASB: Therefore, stay alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—

CSB: Therefore be alert, since you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the evening or at midnight or at the crowing of the rooster or early in the morning.

NLT: You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return — in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak.

KJV: 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:

NKJV: Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—

Jesus' words here are mainly to Jewish and Gentile believers during the tribulation. Jesus has given them what they need to know to be able to roughly predict when He will return. Starting from the moment the Antichrist arranges a treaty between Israel and its enemies, they have seven years. When the Antichrist defiles the Jewish temple, they have three and a half (Daniel 9:27).

Throughout those years, life on earth will get very hard. In addition to the catastrophic impact of God's wrath on the world, the Antichrist will persecute Christ-followers. They will not be able to buy or sell on the open market (Revelation 13:16–18). Countless believers will be killed for their faith (Revelation 13:7; 17:6).

The time periods match the way the Romans divide the night watches. "Evening" is 6 pm to 9 pm. "Midnight" is 9 pm to midnight. "When the rooster crows" is midnight to 3 am. Dawn is 3 am to 6 am. Neither Matthew nor Luke record Jesus being so specific.

This verse does not mean believers will lose their salvation if they are not paying attention and actively anticipating Jesus' return. Once we are saved, our salvation is assured for eternity (Ephesians 1:13–14). And salvation is never earned or kept by works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Mark 13:32–37 continues Jesus talking about the end times by relating the fact that not even He knows when He will return: only God does. This does not mean that Jesus is not God. It merely means that in His incarnate form, the Son has ''emptied himself'' (Philippians 2:7) of God's omniscience and omnipotence. Like a weightlifter who only uses a portion of his strength at times, God incarnate can limit expressing His omnipotence. This is a message for us that we should not believe those who claim to know when Jesus is returning. This warning is also found in Luke 21:34–36 while Matthew gives this warning along with the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents in Matthew 24:42–25:30.

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.