Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Mark 13:14 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 14. 14But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judæa flee to the mountains:
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy.
When desolation stands where it ought not, the word is flee
This verse is one part of that explanation in Mark 13:14-23. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Mark 13:14-23
Read Mark 13:14 with 13:14-23. This verse invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy. The complete unit's controlling movement is: Jesus invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege, tells Judeans to flee without delay, names exceptional distress and divine shortening, and renews warnings against false deliverers and signs.
Follow the Context
- Jesus invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege, tells Judeans to flee without delay, names exceptional distress and divine shortening
- renews warnings against false deliverers and signs.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it…”
In plain language: invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy
Jesus invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege, tells Judeans to flee without delay, names exceptional distress and divine shortening, and renews warnings against false deliverers and signs. Within that movement, this wording invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy.
Why it matters: This wording carries a material narrative, lexical, textual, historical, theological, ethical, or misuse boundary.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The abomination does not securely identify any modern person, religion, technology, or political event. Read Mark 13:14 with Mark 13:14-23. In context, the verse invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy.
What Remains True
The desolating crisis demands discernment and immediate flight while warning against deceptive deliverers. At Mark 13:14, invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy.
Teach It Back
Explain Mark 13:14's specific contribution to Mark 13:14-23: invokes Daniel's desolating sacrilege and calls readers to discern and flee rather than map a modern conspiracy. Include the surrounding movement, one uncertainty or ethical boundary, and what the verse does not authorize.
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Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Mark 13:14-23 — The Desolating Crisis Requires Flight, Not SpeculationSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The preferred reading follows Mark's immediate narrative and whole-book movement while keeping the material alternative visible: The phrase likely addresses the Jerusalem war and temple profanation while also feeding later eschatological readings. Mark's parenthetical 'let him that readeth understand' calls for discernment, not modern code-breaking. Flight affirms safety.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph flags, supplied-word markup, and coverage.
Exact location: Mark 13:14-23, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, sentence relations, and material variants checked independently of the KJV.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT official repository, data/sblgnt/text/Mark.txt, 13:14-23
Open the Mark Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Mark with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, older-English clarification, variants, background, and alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Mark PDF, printed pp. 1868–1901, 13:14-23 and attached translator/textual notes
Open the official NET Mark PDF ↗