When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.
Parallel translations
- WEB “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.
- KJV 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.
- BSB When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
- NKJV But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
- NLT And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.
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
Wars and rumors of wars will come, but the disciples must not be alarmed. Such turmoil is not yet the end.
Overview
Conflict and unrest, though frightening, are part of the present age and must occur within God's plan. Jesus calms his followers: these are not signs that the end has arrived, so they should not be thrown into panic. This steadies believers against the temptation to read every crisis as the immediate end, urging trust in God's sovereign timing instead.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Luke 21:9–11When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
- John 14:27Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
- Matt 24:6–7You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
- Ps 112:7He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh.
- Ps 27:3Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.
- Acts 17:3explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
- 2 Sam 14:14For we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.
- Jer 4:19–21My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I can’t hold my peace; because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
- Isa 8:12“Don’t say, ‘A conspiracy!’ concerning all about which this people say, ‘A conspiracy!’ neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized.
- John 14:1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
- Ps 46:1–3For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- Matt 18:7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
- Prov 3:25Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:
- Jer 51:46Don’t let your heart faint. Don’t fear for the news that will be heard in the land. For news will come one year, and after that in another year news will come, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 13:7 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.