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Mark 13:15

in Mark 13

Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house:

KJV

And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

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This verse in Mark 13

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
We are taught in these verses the lawfulness of using means to provide for our own personal safety . The language of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject is clear and unmistakable — "Let those who be in Judea FLEE to the mountains — let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house — let him that is in the field not turn back again — pray you that your flight be not in the winter."

This site's exposition

Let no one on the housetop go back inside

on Mark 13:15-18

Let no one on the housetop go back inside marks how urgent the flight is. Eusebius records an early tradition that the Christians of Jerusalem fled to Pella before the city fell in AD 70, obeying this warning.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

proposed

And whoever is on the housetop, let him not return to his house for anything: he should be glad even if he escapes naked. And whoever already stands on the height, let him not come down from it. For when any passionate thought arises in …

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

proposed

(ubi sup.) Then let him who is on the house-top, that is, whose mind rises above carnal deeds, and who lives spiritually, as it were in the free air, not come down to the base acts of his former conversation, nor seek again those things which he had left, the desires of the world or the flesh. For our house either means this world, or that in which we live, our own flesh.

A commentator

Glossa Ordinaria

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1274.

proposed

It goes on, And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house; for it is a desirable thing to be saved even naked from such a destruction.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And let him that is on the house top,.... On the battlements of the house, either for diversion or devotion: not go down into the house; in the inner way by the stairs, or ladder within doors: neither enter therein; being come down from the top of the house, by stairs, or a ladder without, which was usual: to take any thing out of his house; to take care of his goods, or take any thing along with him, that might be useful in his flight, and journey, and stay abroad; See Gill on Mat 24:17.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

And let him that is on the housetop not get down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house--that is, let him take the outside flight of steps from the roof to the ground; a graphic way of denoting the extreme urgency of the case, and the danger of being tempted, by the desire to save his property, to delay till escape should become impossible.
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

We are taught in these verses the lawfulness of using means to provide for our own personal safety . The language of our Lord Jesus Christ on the subject is clear and unmistakable — "Let those who be in Judea FLEE to the mountains — let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house — let him that is in the field not turn back again — pray you that your flight be not in the winter." Not a word is said to make us suppose that flight from danger, in certain circumstances, is unworthy of a Christian. As to the time prophesied of in the passage before us, men may differ widely. But as to the lawfulness of taking measures to avoid peril, the teaching of the passage is plain. The lesson is one of wide application, and of much usefulness. A Christian is not to neglect the use of means, because he is a Christian, in the things of this life, any more than in the things of the life to come. A believer is not to suppose that God will take care of him, and provide for his needs, if he does not make use of means and the common sense which God has given him, as well as other people. Beyond doubt he may expect the special help of his Father in heaven, in every time of need. But he must expect it in the diligent use of lawful means. To profess to trust God, while we idly sit still and do nothing, is nothing better than fanaticism, and brings religion into contempt. The word of God contains several instructive examples on this subject, to which we shall do well to take heed. The conduct of Jacob, when he went to meet his brother Esau, is a striking case in point. He first prays a most touching prayer, and then sends his brother a carefully arranged present. (Gen. 32:9-13.) The conduct of Hezekiah, when Sennacherib came against Jerusalem, is another case. "With us," he tells the people, "is the Lord our God, to fight our battles."
On the house-top - See the notes at Mat 9:1-8.

The words behind it

15 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.5 worksLuke 17:31–33On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.5 worksPhilippians 3:7–8But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.3 worksProverbs 6:4–5Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.2 worksActs 27:18–19We were tossed so violently that the next day the men began to jettison the cargo.2 worksActs 27:38After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.2 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 19:15–17At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”2 worksGenesis 19:22Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.2 worksGenesis 19:26But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.2 worksProverbs 22:3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.2 worksJob 2:4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.2 worksMatthew 24:16–18then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.2 worksLuke 21:21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city.2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Hebrews 11:7

    By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes…

    it leads to

    • Genesis 6:13

      Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth.

    • 1 Peter 3:20

      who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.

    • Ezekiel 14:14

      then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.

    • Luke 17:26

      Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:

    • Romans 4:13

      For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 13 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.

Read on in Mark 13 →