Mark 13:1-2

The Destruction of the Temple

13:1 Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!” 13:2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!”


tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.

sn With the statement not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in a.d. 70.

tn Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”