Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house.
Parallel translations
- WEB and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.
- KJV And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
- NKJV Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.
- NASB Whoever is on the housetop must not go down, nor go in to get anything out of his house.
- NLT A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When the sign comes, no one on the rooftop should waste time going inside for belongings. Flight must be immediate.
Overview
Flat Judean rooftops were everyday living space reached by outside stairs. Jesus stresses such urgency that one should not even pause to gather possessions. The coming judgment on Jerusalem would leave no time for delay, and the vivid command teaches that some dangers call for decisive, unhesitating obedience rather than attachment to earthly goods.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Luke 17:31–33On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind.
- Heb 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
- Phil 3:7–8But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
- Prov 22:3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- Gen 19:26But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
- Acts 27:38After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
- Matt 24:16–18then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
- Prov 6:4–5Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
- Acts 27:18–19We were tossed so violently that the next day the men began to jettison the cargo.
- Job 2:4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
- Gen 19:22Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
- Gen 19:15–17At daybreak the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 13:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.