← Explore passages

General Christianity

Mark 13:1–4 — the Temple’s destruction

Gospel according to Mark · Mark 13:1-4

Edition, transcription and reuse details

American Standard Version (1901), eBible electronic text

eBible expressly identifies the ASV as public domain and permits copying: https://ebible.org/asv/copyright.htm

[1] And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! [2] And Jesus said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down. [3] And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, [4] Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are all about to be accomplished?

On the timeline

1000 BCE010001500180019002000Approximately 30–33 CE · narrative setting · Prophecy given or recorded · Jesus’ discourse is set shortly before his deathAround 70 CE · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of Mark’s GospelApproximately 80–90 CE · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of Luke’s GospelAround 85 CE · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of Matthew’s GospelAround 85 CE · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of Matthew’s GospelAround 85 CE · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of MatthewEra 838 · 800 CE · Predicted date · Beatus: the sixth age ends in the Era 838 (800 CE)1780-05-19 · Proposed fulfillment · New England Dark Day1831 · Joseph Smith’s revision of Matthew · Prophecy given or recorded · Joseph Smith revises Matthew’s discourse1833-11-13 · Proposed fulfillment · 1833 Leonid meteor storm24 October 1841 · prayer on the Mount of Olives · Interpretation recorded · Orson Hyde dedicates the land for Judah’s gathering1861–62 · composition of the work · Interpretation recorded · Bahá’u’lláh writes the Kitáb-i-Íqán29 March 1868 · Interpretation recorded · Preparing for Christ’s coming through everyday dutiesOctober–November 1881 · Zion’s Watch Tower · Interpretation recorded · “And the Door Was Shut” in Zion’s Watch Tower7 December 1884 · George Q. Cannon’s sermon · Interpretation recorded · Cannon: the time is near, but no day, hour or year is revealed14 December 1884 · John Taylor’s sermon · Interpretation recorded · Taylor: as in Noah’s day, and Enoch’s Zion will descend1911 · Interpretation recorded · Ellen G. White connects the Dark Day with Mark 131911 · Interpretation recorded · Ellen G. White connects the Leonid storm with falling stars1914 · end of the 2520 years · Predicted date · Paton, 1880: Gentile dominion ends and God’s kingdom becomes universal in A.D. 19141956 · copyright date · Interpretation recorded · Armstrong’s 1975 in Prophecy!1965–1972 · “probably” · Predicted date · Armstrong: drought begins the Great Tribulation, probably between 1965 and 19721970 · first published · Interpretation recorded · Hal Lindsey publishes The Late Great Planet Earth1980 · copyright; Bantam edition March 1981 · Interpretation recorded · Hal Lindsey publishes The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon1981, before 14 May · Calvary Chapel teaching · Interpretation recorded · Chuck Smith teaches on Hosea 5–9by 14 May 1981 · seven years before 1988 · Predicted date · Chuck Smith: the rapture may still come by 14 May 1981, seven years before the end of the 1948 generationApril 2004 · Interpretation recorded · Oaks urges preparation despite an unknown return dateOctober 2020 · conference address · Interpretation recorded · Andersen describes the gathering at Christ’s returnApril 2025 · conference address · Interpretation recorded · Renlund interprets the sheep and the goats
All 28 dates for this reading
  1. Approximately 30–33 CE · narrative settingJesus’ discourse is set shortly before his death Prophecy given or recorded
  2. Around 70 CEEstimated composition of Mark’s Gospel Prophecy given or recorded
  3. Approximately 80–90 CEEstimated composition of Luke’s Gospel Prophecy given or recorded
  4. Around 85 CEEstimated composition of Matthew’s Gospel Prophecy given or recorded
  5. Around 85 CEEstimated composition of Matthew’s Gospel Prophecy given or recorded
  6. Around 85 CEEstimated composition of Matthew Prophecy given or recorded
  7. Era 838 · 800 CEBeatus: the sixth age ends in the Era 838 (800 CE) Predicted date · stated 784 (Era 822)
  8. 1780-05-19New England Dark Day Proposed fulfillment
  9. 1831 · Joseph Smith’s revision of MatthewJoseph Smith revises Matthew’s discourse Prophecy given or recorded
  10. 1833-11-131833 Leonid meteor storm Proposed fulfillment
  11. 24 October 1841 · prayer on the Mount of OlivesOrson Hyde dedicates the land for Judah’s gathering Interpretation recorded
  12. 1861–62 · composition of the workBahá’u’lláh writes the Kitáb-i-Íqán Interpretation recorded
  13. 29 March 1868Preparing for Christ’s coming through everyday duties Interpretation recorded
  14. October–November 1881 · Zion’s Watch Tower“And the Door Was Shut” in Zion’s Watch Tower Interpretation recordedResponds to Barbour: Christ comes and restores the earth before the close of 1873 (By the close of 1873).Responds to Miller predicted Christ’s return within this period (between March 21st, 1843, and March 21st, 1844).Responds to Zion’s Watch Tower, December 1880: the saints changed “probably by, possibly before, the fall of 1881” (By the fall of 1881 · could be sooner).
  15. 7 December 1884 · George Q. Cannon’s sermonCannon: the time is near, but no day, hour or year is revealed Interpretation recorded
  16. 14 December 1884 · John Taylor’s sermonTaylor: as in Noah’s day, and Enoch’s Zion will descend Interpretation recorded
  17. 1911Ellen G. White connects the Dark Day with Mark 13 Interpretation recorded
  18. 1911Ellen G. White connects the Leonid storm with falling stars Interpretation recorded
  19. 1914 · end of the 2520 yearsPaton, 1880: Gentile dominion ends and God’s kingdom becomes universal in A.D. 1914 Predicted date · stated 1880
  20. 1956 · copyright dateArmstrong’s 1975 in Prophecy! Interpretation recorded
  21. 1965–1972 · “probably”Armstrong: drought begins the Great Tribulation, probably between 1965 and 1972 Predicted date · stated 1956
  22. 1970 · first publishedHal Lindsey publishes The Late Great Planet Earth Interpretation recorded
  23. 1980 · copyright; Bantam edition March 1981Hal Lindsey publishes The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon Interpretation recorded
  24. 1981, before 14 May · Calvary Chapel teachingChuck Smith teaches on Hosea 5–9 Interpretation recorded
  25. by 14 May 1981 · seven years before 1988Chuck Smith: the rapture may still come by 14 May 1981, seven years before the end of the 1948 generation Predicted date · stated 1981, before 14 May
  26. April 2004Oaks urges preparation despite an unknown return date Interpretation recorded
  27. October 2020 · conference addressAndersen describes the gathering at Christ’s return Interpretation recorded
  28. April 2025 · conference addressRenlund interprets the sheep and the goats Interpretation recorded

See this reading on the timeline →