Mark 13:8
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The word Jesus uses, translated as "sorrows," actually means "birth pains" in the original language. This isn't just about general suffering; it highlights that these catastrophic events are the intensifying precursors to a significant, transformative new beginning.
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the end of the age, which they initially conflate. He warns them that before the end, there will be many deceptions, wars, and natural disasters. These events are described not as the final end, but as the initial stages of intense suffering, like the first pangs of labor.
Understand the original words
ethnos · Greek Noun
Refers to ethnic groups or people groups (Greek: ethnos). In the Bible, it often denotes those outside the covenant community, and the gospel mandate is to bring the message of salvation to every one of these groups.
ōdin · Greek Noun
A metaphor used in biblical prophecy to describe signs of the approaching end of the age. Just as birth pains increase in frequency and intensity before the birth of a child, these signs signal that the kingdom of God is drawing near but has not yet arrived.
Jesus' words in Mark 13:8 weren't just abstract predictions; they painted a picture of the intense suffering and turmoil the first-century world was experiencing, particularly as the Roman Empire and Judea spiraled toward the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The 'birth pains' he spoke of were already being felt through famines, political instability, and growing conflict.
c. AD 41-54
Famines and Tumults in the Roman Empire
During the reign of Emperor Claudius, widespread famines affected the Roman Empire, including Judea, as recorded in Acts 11:28. This period also saw significant unrest and political instability.
c. AD 60-65
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire swept through Rome, leading to widespread destruction and subsequent persecution of Christians, who were scapegoated by Emperor Nero.
c. AD 64-66
Jewish Revolt Begins
Growing tensions between the Jewish population and Roman authorities erupted into a full-scale revolt. This marked the beginning of a brutal conflict that would engulf Judea.
AD 68-69
Year of the Four Emperors
Following Nero's suicide, Rome plunged into civil war as four emperors vied for power in rapid succession. This period of intense instability weakened the empire and distracted Rome from the ongoing Jewish revolt.
This passage in Matthew directly parallels Mark's account, describing the same signs of wars, famines, earthquakes, and pestilences as 'the beginning of the birth pains,' reinforcing the prophetic nature of these events.
Luke 21:10-11Luke records Jesus speaking these same warnings, emphasizing nation rising against nation and kingdoms against kingdoms, along with earthquakes and famines, as precursors to greater events.
Jeremiah 4:23-28This Old Testament prophecy vividly describes the earth becoming a desolate waste with signs of judgment, including the land mourning and the heavens being black, mirroring the language of devastation and upheaval found in Mark 13:8.
1 Thessalonians 5:3Paul uses a similar 'birth pangs' metaphor to describe the suddenness of judgment, comparing it to 'sudden destruction coming upon a woman with child,' linking these escalating troubles to a coming, unavoidable end.
Romans 8:22The concept of creation itself groaning and travailing in pain, as described by Paul, resonates with the 'birth pains' imagery in Mark, suggesting a universal anticipation and suffering that precedes a final redemption or judgment.
expositorsMark 13:8-16: "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."
CHAPTER 13:8-16 (Mark 13:8-16)THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be famines: these things are the beginning of travail. But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver y…
calvinMark 13:1-8: "And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"
- And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him, to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Verily I say to you, There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. 3. And while he was sitting on the mountain of Olives, the…
The word Jesus uses, translated as "sorrows," actually means "birth pains" in the original language. This isn't just about general suffering; it highlights that these catastrophic events are the intensifying precursors to a significant, transformative new beginning.
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the end of the age, which they initially conflate. He warns them that before the end, there will be many deceptions, wars, and natural disasters. These events are described not as the final end, but as the initial stages of intense suffering, like the first pangs of labor.
Jesus is responding to his disciples' questions about the destruction of the temple and the end of the age, which they initially conflate. He warns them that before the end, there will be many deceptions, wars, and natural disasters. These events are described not as the final end, but as the initial stages of intense suffering, like the first pangs of labor.
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AD 70— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Roman legions under Titus besieged and ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple. This cataclysmic event was a pivotal moment for Judaism and early Christianity.
"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains." — The word Jesus uses, translated as "sorrows," actually means "birth pains" in the original language. This isn't just about general suffering; it highlights that these catastrophic events are the inte…
