Mark 13:20
in Mark 13If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
KJV
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
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This verse in Mark 13
Commentary
14 notes on this verseThat is, if the Roman war had not been soon finished, no flesh should be saved; that is, no Jew should have escaped; but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, that is, for the sake of the believing Jews, or who were hereafter to believe, He hath shortened the days, that is, the war was soon finished, for God foresaw that many Jews would believe after the destruction of the city; for which reason He would not suffer the whole race to be utterly destroyed.
This site's exposition
such as was not from the beginning of the creation
on Mark 13:19-20
Affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be, is language the commentators read two ways: as the ancient idiom of unequaled severity applied to the horror of Jerusalem's fall, an event Josephus's own account of the siege makes almost unbearable to read, or as pointing past AD 70 to a still future tribulation exceeding even that catastrophe. Except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days grounds the limit of the trial in God's own mercy toward those he has chosen, whichever horizon is in view.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Epist. cxcix. 9.) For Josephus, who has written the history of the Jews, relates that such things were suffered by this people, as are scarcely credible, wherefore it is said, not without cause, that there was not such tribulation from the beginning of the creation until now, nor shall ever be. But although in the time of Antichrist there shall be one similar or greater, we must understand that it is of that people, that it is said that there shall never happen such another. For if they are the first and foremost to receive Antichrist, that same people may rather be said to cause than to suffer tribulation. (ubi sup.) But some persons more fitly understand that the calamities themselves are signified by days, as evil days are spoken of in other parts of holy Scripture; for the days themselves are not evil, but what is done in them. The woes themselves therefore are said to be abridged, because through the patience which God gave they felt them less, and then what was great in itself was abridged.
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God" He speaks of Elias the prophet, who is the precursor of the times of Antichrist, for the restoration and establishment of the churches from the great and intolerable persecution. We read that these things are predicted in the opening of the Old and New Testament; for He says by Malachi: "Lo, I will send to you Elias the Tishbite, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, according to the time of calling, to recall the Jews to the faith of the people that succeed them." And to that end He shows, as we have said, that the number of those that shall believe, of the Jews and of the nations, is a great multitude which no man was able to number. Moreover, we read in the Gospel that the prayers of the Church are sent from heaven by an angel, and that they are received against wrath, and that the kingdom of Antichrist is cast out and extinguished by holy angels; for He says: "Pray that ye enter not into temptation: for there shall be a great affliction, such as has not been from the beginning of the world; and except the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved." Therefore He shall send these seven great archangels to smite the kingdom of Antichrist; for He Himself also thus said: "Then the Son of man shall send His messengers; and they shall gather together His elect from the four corners of the wind, from the one end of heaven even to the other end thereof." For, moreover, He previously says by the prophet: "Then shall there be peace for our land, when there shall arise in it seven shepherds and eight attacks of men; and they shall encircle Assur," that is, Antichrist, "in the trench of Nimrod," that is, in the nation of the devil, by the spirit of the Church. Similarly when the keepers of the house shall be moved. […]
The Medieval Church3 voices
But the tribulation shall be great, and the days short, for the sake of the elect, lest the evil of this time should change their understanding.
"And if the Lord had not shortened those days," that is, if He had not quickly ended the wars of the Romans, "no flesh would have been saved," not a single Jew would have remained. "But for the sake of the elect," that is, those …
(ubi sup.) The only refuge in such evils is, that God who gives strength to suffer, should abridge the power of inflicting. Wherefore there follows: And except that the Lord had shortened those days.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days. For this tribulation, as much as it is heavier in the weight of oppressions than the others …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The elect - The Christians: whom he hath chosen - That is, hath taken out of, or separated from, the world, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. He hath shortened - That is, will surely shorten.
And except that the Lord had shortened those days,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
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."
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It implies, first, that a time is coming when Jerusalem shall cease to be "trodden down of the Gentiles"; which it was then by pagan, and since and till now is by Mohammedan unbelievers: and next, it implies that the period when this treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles is to cease will be when "the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" or "completed." But what does this mean?
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
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."
Had shortened those days - Because of his chosen, added by D, Armenian, and five of the Itala. See Mat 24:22.
The words behind it
21 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἰ | ei | only | G1487 → | 508 times |
| μὴ | me | unless | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐκολόβωσεν | ekolobosen | shortened | G2856 → | |
| κύριος | kurios | [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρας, | hemeras | days, | G2250 → | 389 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἂν | an | then would | G302 → | 165 times |
| ἐσώθη | esothe | there have been saved | G4982 → | 105 times |
| πᾶσα | pasa | any | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| σάρξ· | sarx | flesh; | G4561 → | 146 times |
| ἀλλὰ | alla | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| διὰ | dia | on account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκλεκτοὺς | eklektous | elect | G1588 → | 22 times |
| οὓς | hous | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐξελέξατο | exelexato | He chose | G1586 → | |
| ἐκολόβωσεν | ekolobosen | He has shortened | G2856 → | |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρας. | hemeras | days. | G2250 → | 389 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἰonly
eiG1487 →508 times
μὴunless
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐκολόβωσενshortened
ekolobosenG2856 →
κύριος[the] Lord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέρας,days,
hemerasG2250 →389 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἂνthen would
anG302 →165 times
ἐσώθηthere have been saved
esotheG4982 →105 times
πᾶσαany
pasaG3956 →1235 times
σάρξ·flesh;
sarxG4561 →146 times
ἀλλὰbut
allaG235 →635 times
διὰon account of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἐκλεκτοὺςelect
eklektousG1588 →22 times
οὓςwhom
housG3739 →1405 times
ἐξελέξατοHe chose
exelexatoG1586 →
ἐκολόβωσενHe has shortened
ekolobosenG2856 →
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέρας.days.
hemerasG2250 →389 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Isaiah 6:13And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”
it leads to
- Job 14:7–9
For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
- Romans 11:5–6
In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
- Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
- Isaiah 65:8–9
This is what the LORD says: “As the new wine is found in a cluster of grapes, and men say, ‘Do not destroy it, for it contains a blessing,’ so I will act on…
- Job 14:7–9
Through
Matthew 24:22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:10
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
- Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
- Luke 18:7
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
- 2 Timothy 2:10
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.