Mark 13:8

Groups who live in various countries will fight each other, and various governments will fight each other. There will also be big earthquakes in various places; and there will be famines. Yet, when these things happen, people will have only just begun to suffer. The first things that they suffer will be like the first pains a woman suffers who is about to bear a child. They will suffer much more after that.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

In Context

7Whenever people tell you about wars that are close or wars that are far away, do not be troubled. God has said that those things must happen. But when they do happen, do not think that God will finish all that he has planned at that time!

9Be ready for what people will do to you at that time. Because you believe in me, they will arrest you and put you on trial before the religious councils. ◄In the synagogues/In the Jewish meeting places►, you will be beaten {others will beat you}. You will be put { People will put you} on trial in the presence of high government authorities. As a result, you will be able to tell them about me.

Read all of Mark 13

Cross References

2 Chronicles 15:6The people of various nations were thoroughly defeated by armies of other nations, and people in some cities were crushed by armies from other cities, because God was allowing them to experience many difficulties.

Isaiah 19:2I will cause the people of Egypt to fight against each other: men will fight against their brothers, neighbors will fight against each other, people of one city will fight against the people of another city, people of one province will fight against the people of another province.

Jeremiah 4:31It is as though I already hear the people in Jerusalem crying very loudly, like [SIM] a woman cries when she is giving birth to her first child; she gasps for breath and pleads for someone to help her. It is as though Jerusalem is crying, “Something terrible is happening to me! They are about to murder me!”

Jeremiah 13:21What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you mistakenly thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.

Jeremiah 25:32Then tell them that this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: ‘Listen to this! There will be disasters in one nation after another. I am preparing to punish them like [MET] a great storm that starts in the most distant places on the earth.

Jeremiah 50:43The King of Babylon says, “ I have heard reports about the enemy approaching; so I am very frightened, with the result that I am weak. I am very fearful, and anguished/worried, like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.”

Matthew Henry on Mark 13:6-14

Great Afflictions Foretold. 5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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