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:
Parallel translations
- WEB and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.
- BSB Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from 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 17:31–33In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
- Heb 11:7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
- Phil 3:7–8But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
- Prov 22:3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
- Gen 19:26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
- Acts 27:38And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
- Matt 24:16–18Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
- Prov 6:4–5Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
- Acts 27:18–19And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
- Job 2:4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
- Gen 19:22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
- Gen 19:15–17And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity 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.