This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context.
Information about the meaning the original Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue. They are provided beneath the specific reading they relate to.
Excerpts collected in yellow at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him.
Excerpts collected in green at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do.
A link to a collection of other scriptures addressing principles similar to those set out in these readings is provided at the very end of this post
Reading I: Daniel 12:1-3
In those days, I Daniel, heard this word of the Lord: "At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. “But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever."
guardian = עָמַד = ʿāmaḏ
to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand, stand with; hold one's ground; attend upon, be or become servant of; repair; serve; attend to; minister to; be steadfast; defend; resist; persist, persevere
escape = מָלַט = mālaṭ
to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered;to release or rescue; leap out, let alone, let go, preserve; lay eggs
wise= שָׂכַל= sakal
circumspect; have insight; to give attention to, consider, ponder; to have insight, have comprehension; to cause to consider, give insight, teach; to act circumspectly, act prudently, act wisely; to prosper, have success; wisdom; understanding
justice = צָדַק= ṣāḏaq
to be just, be righteous;to be put or made right, be justified; to do or bring justice;to justify, vindicate the cause of, save; to make righteous, turn to righteousness;right (in a moral or forensic sense); cleanse, clear; to be right, straight; to have just cause, to speak the truth; to be upright
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
R. (5) You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore, my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
inheritance = חֵלֶק= ḥēleq
portion, share, part, territory;one's possession; share or interest in; smoothness
hold fast =תָּמַךְ = tāmaḵ
to grasp, hold, support, attain, lay hold of; to hold up, support; keep; to take hold of each other; maintain, retain, stay (up); hold together, adhere
ever = תָּמִיד= tamiyd
continually, continuously; constant (or adverbially, constantly); alway(-s); perpetual
heart = לֵב= leb
inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding; soul, heart (of man); thinking, reflection, memory;seat of appetites; seat of emotions and passions; the feelings, the will and even the intellect; the centre of anything;
confidence = בֶּטַח= betach
security, safety; a place of refuge; trust; assurance, boldly; without fear
show = יָדַע= yada`
to cause to know; to make known, declare; to make oneself known, reveal oneself; instruction; advise; answer; to be taught by experience; to cause someone to know something; to aquaint
life= חַי= chay
living, alive; lively, active (of man); green (of vegetation); flowing, fresh (of water); reviving (of the springtime); fresh; vigorous; flourishing; reviving
joy = שִׂמְחָה= simchah
mirth, gladness, joy, gaiety, pleasure; blithesomeness or glee
presence = פָּנִים= paniym
before; in front of; face turned toward; to say or do anything to one’s face; person; the foremost part of something; the author and efficient cause of anything
Reading II: Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.
forever = διηνεκής = diēnekēs
continual, continually, continuously;perpetually
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
continuous, unbroken; from beginning to end;without ceasing; in perpetuity;invariably
consecrated= ἁγιάζω = hagiazō
set apart; "to hallow, sanctify," in the passive voice; to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable; separate from profane things
Alleluia: Luke 21:36
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
be vigilant = ἀγρυπνέω = agrypneō
the watchfulness of those who are intent upon a thing; keep awake, watch; to be circumspect, attentive, ready; keep awake:—watch;to exercise constant vigilance over something;a state untouched by any slumberous or beclouding influences, and thence, one that is guarded against advances of drowsiness or bewilderment; wariness
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
to be watchful; lie awake and think of
pray = δέομαι = deomai
Beseech, to call to one's aid; to desire, to long for;to ask, beg; make supplications
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
beg a thing from a person
Gospel: Mark 13:24-32
In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
power = δύναμις = dynamis
Force; ability, capability, ability to perform anything; used of works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means; strength; moral power and excellence of soul;ability, abundance, meaning; the power of God; the power of performing miracles; authority
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
strength, power, ability to do anything;outward power, influence, authority; means; faculty, capacity;function, meaning; faculty, art, or craft; potency; force or meaning; manifestation of divine power, miracle
glory = δοξάζω = doxazō
to magnify, extol, praise;ascribing honor to, acknowledging; to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendor; to make renowned, render illustrious; to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged; to honour, do honour to, hold in honour;to exalt to a glorious rank or condition
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
think, imagine; suppose; form or hold an opinion; magnify, extol;to be distinguished, held in honour
What these readings tell us about God/His ways:
your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book
Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace
the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament
those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever
You are my inheritance, O Lord
my allotted portion and my cup
you it is who hold fast my lot
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed
You are my inheritance, O Lord
you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption
You are my inheritance, O Lord
You will show me the path to life
fullness of joys in your presence
delights at your right hand forever
You are my inheritance, O Lord
this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God
he waits until his enemies are made his footstool
by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin
they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory
he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away
of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father
What these readings tell us to do:
Hear[] this word of the Lord
the wise
shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament
lead the many to justice
set the LORD ever before me
with him at my right hand
not be disturbed
abide[] in confidence
faithful one
at your right hand forever
being consecrated
Be vigilant at all times
pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man
know that he is near, at the gates
Scriptures addressing similar principles are collected at Wisdom Principles—God is a Refuge for Those Who Love Him
