Mark 13

Mc 13.1Et cum ēgrederētur dē templō, ait illī ūnus ex discipulīs suīs: Magister, aspice quālēs lapidēs, et quālēs strūctūrae.

And as he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him: Teacher, look, what stones, and what buildings!

Note. cum ēgrederētur: cum + imperfect subjunctive, 'as he was going out'. ait: from the defective verb aiō, 'he says'; the Vulgate often uses the present in narrative. quālēs lapidēs: an exclamation, 'what stones!'. The temple meant here is Herod's rebuilt temple in Jerusalem.

Mc 13.2Et respondēns Iēsus, ait illī: Vidēs hās omnēs magnās aedificātiōnēs? Nōn relinquētur lapis super lapidem, quī nōn dēstruātur.

And Jesus, answering, says to him: Do you see all these great buildings? There will not be left stone upon stone which will not be pulled down.

Note. respondēns … ait: 'answering, said'. Biblical Latin keeps the Greek habit of pairing a participle of answering with a verb of saying, even when no question was asked. quī nōn dēstruātur: relative clause of characteristic with the subjunctive, 'which will not be pulled down'.

Mc 13.3Et cum sedēret in monte Olīvārum contrā templum, interrogābant eum sēparātim Petrus, et Iacōbus, et Iōannēs, et Andreās:

And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were asking him privately:

Note. mōns Olīvārum: the Mount of Olives, the ridge east of Jerusalem facing the temple across the Kidron valley. contrā here is spatial, 'opposite'. interrogābant: the imperfect pictures the questioning going on.

Mc 13.4Dīc nōbīs, quandō ista fīent? et quod signum erit, quandō haec omnia incipient cōnsummārī?

Tell us, when will these things happen? and what sign will there be when all these things begin to be brought to completion?

Note. fient: future of fīō, 'will happen'. quod signum: interrogative adjective, 'what sign?'. cōnsummārī: present passive infinitive after incipient, 'begin to be brought to completion'.

Mc 13.5Et respondēns Iēsus coepit dīcere illīs: Vidēte nē quis vōs sēdūcat:

And Jesus, answering, began to say to them: See that no one leads you astray:

Note. Vidēte nē quis: 'see that no one …'. After nē, quis is the indefinite 'anyone'. sēdūcat: present subjunctive in the clause of caution.

Mc 13.6multī enim venient in nōmine meō, dīcentēs quia ego sum: et multōs sēdūcent.

for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he': and they will lead many astray.

Note. dīcentēs quia ego sum: in Biblical Latin quia (or quod, quoniam) often introduces what is said, where classical Latin would use an accusative and infinitive. Here it marks direct speech: 'saying, I am he'.

Mc 13.7Cum audieritis autem bella, et opīniōnēs bellōrum, nē timuerītis: oportet enim haec fierī: sed nōndum fīnis.

But when you hear of wars and reports of wars, do not be afraid: for these things must happen; but the end is not yet.

Note. Cum audieritis: future perfect in a future time clause; English uses the present, 'when you hear'. nē timueritis: nē + perfect subjunctive is a prohibition, 'do not be afraid'. oportet … fierī: impersonal 'it is necessary for these things to happen'.

Mc 13.8Exsurget enim gēns contrā gentem, et regnum super regnum, et erunt terraemōtūs per loca, et famēs. Initium dolōrum haec.

For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom over kingdom, and there will be earthquakes in place after place, and famines. These things are the beginning of the pains.

Note. gēns contrā gentem, regnum super regnum: balanced phrases with the verb understood. terraemōtus: fourth-declension plural, 'earthquakes'. per loca: 'in various places'. Initium dolōrum haec: verb 'to be' omitted, as often in short sayings; dolōrēs suggests the pains of childbirth.

Mc 13.9Vidēte autem vōsmetipsōs. Trādent enim vōs in cōnsiliīs, et in synagōgīs vāpulābitis, et ante praesidēs et rēgēs stābitis propter mē, in testimōnium illīs.

But watch out for yourselves. For they will hand you over to councils, and in synagogues you will be beaten, and before governors and kings you will stand on my account, as a testimony to them.

Note. vōsmetipsōs: vōs strengthened with -met and ipsōs, 'your very selves'. in conciliīs: Late Latin often uses in + ablative where classical Latin would use a plain dative or ad. vāpulābitis: vāpulō has an active form but a passive meaning, 'be beaten'. in testimōnium illīs: 'as evidence to them'.

Mc 13.10Et in omnēs gentēs prīmum oportet praedicārī Evangelium.

And to all nations first the Gospel must be preached.

Note. The sentence is impersonal: oportet with the passive infinitive praedicārī and its subject Ēvangelium, 'the Gospel must be preached'. Ēvangelium is a Greek loanword, 'good news'.

Mc 13.11Et cum dūxerint vōs trādentēs, nōlīte praecōgitāre quid loquāminī: sed quod datum vōbīs fuerit in illā hōrā, id loquiminī: nōn enim vōs estis loquentēs, sed Spīritus Sānctus.

And when they lead you off, handing you over, do not think out beforehand what you are to say: but whatever is given to you in that hour, that say: for it is not you who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Note. nōlīte + infinitive is the regular prohibition, 'do not …'. quid loquāminī: indirect question with the subjunctive of the deponent loquor. quod datum vōbīs fuerit: future perfect passive, 'whatever has been given you'. loquiminī here is the plural imperative of loquor, 'speak!'.

Mc 13.12Trādet autem frāter frātrem in mortem, et pater fīlium: et cōnsurgent fīliī in parentēs, et morte afficient eōs.

And brother will hand over brother to death, and father son: and children will rise up against parents and will put them to death.

Note. frāter frātrem, pater fīlium: the verb trādet is understood again in the second phrase. morte afficient: afficiō + ablative, literally 'affect with death', i.e. 'put to death'.

Mc 13.13Et eritis odiō omnibus propter nōmen meum. Quī autem sustinuerit in fīnem, hic salvus erit.

And you will be an object of hatred to all because of my name. But whoever holds out to the end, this one will be saved.

Note. eritis odiō omnibus: a double dative, 'you will be (for) an object of hatred to all'. Quī … sustinuerit … hic salvus erit: the relative clause comes first and hic picks it up, 'whoever holds out, this one will be saved'.

Mc 13.14Cum autem vīderitis abōminātiōnem dēsōlātiōnis stantem, ubi nōn dēbet, quī legit, intelligat: tunc quī in Iūdaeā sunt, fugiant in montēs:

But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains:

Note. abōminātiōnem dēsōlātiōnis: a Hebrew-style genitive, 'the desolating abomination', a phrase taken from the book of Daniel. quī legit, intelligat: a remark to the reader, jussive subjunctive, 'let the reader understand'. fugiant: jussive subjunctive, 'let them flee'.

Mc 13.15et quī super tēctum, nē dēscendat in domum, nec introëat ut tollat quid dē domō suā:

and let him who is on the roof not go down into the house, nor go in to take anything out of his house:

Note. quī super tēctum: the verb est is omitted. Houses in Palestine had flat roofs used as living space. introëat: the diaeresis shows that the e and a are pronounced separately. quid after ut is the indefinite 'anything'.

Mc 13.16et quī in agrō erit, nōn revertātur retrō tollere vestīmentum suum.

and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his garment.

Note. nōn revertātur: Late Latin often uses nōn instead of nē with a jussive subjunctive. retrō tollere: infinitive of purpose, 'to take'; classical Latin would prefer ut + subjunctive or a supine.

Mc 13.17Vae autem praegnantibus et nūtrientibus in illīs diēbus.

But woe to women who are pregnant and who are nursing in those days.

Note. Vae + dative: 'woe to'. praegnantibus et nūtrientibus: adjective and participle used as nouns, 'women who are pregnant and women who are nursing'.

Mc 13.18Ōrāte vērō ut hieme nōn fīant.

Pray, however, that these things may not happen in winter.

Note. hieme: ablative of time when, 'in winter', when travel and flight would be hardest.

Mc 13.19Erunt enim diēs illī trībulātiōnēs tālēs quālēs nōn fuērunt ab initiō creātūrae, quam condidit Deus usque nunc, neque fīent.

For those days will be such troubles as have not been from the beginning of the creation which God founded until now, nor will be.

Note. Erunt … diēs illī tribulātiōnēs: the days themselves are called 'troubles'. tālēs quālēs: correlatives, 'such as'. ab initiō creātūrae quam condidit Deus: 'from the beginning of the creation which God founded'.

Mc 13.20Et nisi breviāsset Dominus diēs, nōn fuisset salva omnis carō: sed propter ēlēctōs, quōs ēlēgit, breviāvit diēs.

And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved: but for the sake of the chosen, whom he chose, he has shortened the days.

Note. nisi breviāsset … nōn fuisset: a past contrary-to-fact condition with pluperfect subjunctives. breviāsset is a contracted form of breviāvisset. omnis carō: a Hebrew idiom, 'all flesh', i.e. every living person. ēlēctōs: perfect passive participle of ēligō used as a noun, 'the chosen'.

Mc 13.21Et tunc sī quis vōbīs dīxerit: Ecce hīc est Chrīstus, ecce illīc, nē crēdiderītis.

And then, if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ,' 'Look, there,' do not believe it.

Note. sī quis: after sī, quis is indefinite, 'if anyone'. nē crēdideritis: nē + perfect subjunctive, a prohibition. Christus: Greek for 'anointed', translating Hebrew 'Messiah'.

Mc 13.22Exsurgent enim pseudochrīstī et pseudoprophētae, et dabunt signa et portenta ad sēdūcendōs, sī fierī potest, etiam ēlēctōs.

For false christs and false prophets will rise up, and they will give signs and wonders for leading astray, if it can happen, even the chosen.

Note. pseudochrīstī et pseudoprophētae: Greek compounds with pseudo-, 'false'. ad sēdūcendōs … ēlēctōs: ad + gerundive phrase expressing purpose, 'for leading astray the chosen'.

Mc 13.23Vōs ergō vidēte: ecce praedīxī vōbīs omnia.

You, then, watch: see, I have told you everything beforehand.

Note. praedīxī: perfect of praedīcō, 'I have told beforehand'. Vōs ergo vidēte: the pronoun is emphatic, 'you, then, be on your guard'.

Mc 13.24Sed in illīs diēbus, post trībulātiōnem illam, sōl contenebrābitur, et lūna nōn dabit splendōrem suum:

But in those days, after that trouble, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its brightness,

Note. sōl contenebrābitur: a Late Latin verb, 'will be darkened'. The imagery of darkened sun and moon comes from the prophets of the Hebrew Bible.

Mc 13.25et stellae caelī erunt dēcidentēs, et virtūtēs, quae in caelīs sunt, movēbuntur.

and the stars of the sky will be falling, and the powers which are in the heavens will be shaken.

Note. erunt dēcidentēs: future of sum + present participle, a periphrastic form copied from Greek, 'will be falling'. virtūtēs: here 'powers', heavenly forces.

Mc 13.26Et tunc vidēbunt Fīlium hominis venientem in nūbibus cum virtūte multā et glōriā.

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Note. Fīlium hominis: 'the Son of Man', a Hebrew way of saying 'a human being', used in Mark as Jesus' title for himself and recalling the figure 'coming with the clouds' in Daniel 7. cum virtūte multā: multus here means 'great'.

Mc 13.27Et tunc mittet angelōs suōs, et congregābit ēlēctōs suōs ā quatuor ventīs, ā summō terrae usque ad summum caelī.

And then he will send his angels, and he will gather his chosen from the four winds, from the furthest point of the earth to the furthest point of the sky.

Note. ā quattuor ventīs: 'from the four winds', the four points of the compass. ā summō terrae usque ad summum caelī: neuter adjectives used as nouns, 'from the furthest point of the earth to the furthest point of the sky'.

Mc 13.28Ā fīcū autem discite parabolam. Cum iam rāmus eius tener fuerit, et nāta fuerint folia, cognōscitis quia in proximō sit aestās:

From the fig tree, however, learn the comparison. When its branch has now become tender and the leaves have sprung up, you know that summer is near:

Note. parabolam: a Greek loanword, 'comparison' or 'parable'. Cum … fuerit … nāta fuerint: future perfects in a general statement. cognōscitis quia … sit: Late Latin uses quia + subjunctive in place of an accusative and infinitive. in proximō: 'near'.

Mc 13.29sīc et vōs cum vīderitis haec fierī, scītōte quod in proximō sit, in ōstiīs.

so you too, when you see these things happening, know that it is near, at the doors.

Note. scītōte: future imperative of sciō, the only imperative this verb normally uses, 'know!'. quod … sit: another Late Latin substitute for the accusative and infinitive. in ōstiīs: 'at the doors'.

Mc 13.30Āmēn dīcō vōbīs, quoniam nōn trānsībit generātiō haec, dōnec omnia ista fīant.

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.

Note. Āmēn: a Hebrew word, 'truly', which the Vulgate keeps untranslated. Āmēn dīcō vōbīs is a frequent formula in the Gospels. quoniam introduces what is said, as quia does elsewhere. dōnec + subjunctive: 'until'.

Mc 13.31Caelum et terra trānsībunt, verba autem mea nōn trānsībunt.

Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Mc 13.32Dē diē autem illō vel hōrā nēmō scit, neque angelī in caelō, neque Fīlius, nisi Pater.

But about that day or hour nobody knows, not the angels in heaven, not the Son, except the Father.

Note. nēmō scit, neque angelī … neque Fīlius, nisi Pater: the negatives build a list of those who do not know, and nisi gives the one exception.

Mc 13.33Vidēte, vigilāte, et ōrāte: nescītis enim quandō tempus sit.

Watch, stay awake, and pray: for you do not know when the time is.

Note. quandō tempus sit: indirect question with the subjunctive, 'when the time is'.

Mc 13.34Sīcut homō quī peregrē profectus relīquit domum suam, et dedit servīs suīs potestātem cuiusque operis, et iānitōrī praecēpit ut vigilet,

It is like a man who, having set out abroad, left his house, and gave his servants authority over each piece of work, and ordered the doorkeeper to keep awake:

Note. Sīcut homō: the comparison is left without a main verb; its point is picked up by vigilāte in the next verse. peregrē profectus: 'having set out abroad'; profectus is the perfect participle of the deponent proficīscor, active in meaning. potestātem cuiusque operis: 'authority over each task'.

Mc 13.35vigilāte ergō (nescītis enim quandō dominus domus veniat: sērō, an mediā nocte, an gallī cantū, an māne),

stay awake, then (for you do not know when the master of the house is coming: late in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning),

Note. The four times named are the four watches into which the Romans divided the night: sērō (evening), mediā nocte (midnight), gallī cantū (cockcrow) and māne (early morning). an … an: 'or … or' in an indirect question.

Mc 13.36nē, cum vēnerit repente, inveniat vōs dormientēs.

so that, when he comes suddenly, he may not find you sleeping.

Note. nē, cum vēnerit, inveniat: the purpose clause frames a cum clause, 'so that, when he comes, he may not find'. dormientēs: present participle agreeing with vōs.

Mc 13.37Quod autem vōbīs dīcō, omnibus dīcō: Vigilāte.

And what I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake.

Note. Quod autem vōbīs dīcō: the relative clause comes first and serves as object, 'what I say to you'.