Mark 13:20

And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
καὶ
G2532 CONJ
kai
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
  • and, also, even, indeed, but
εἰ
G1487 CONJ
ei
if, whether, that, etc
  • if, whether
μὴ
G3361 PRT-N
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
  • no, not lest
κύριος
G2962
kyrios
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
  • he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord
    • the possessor and disposer of a thing
      • the owner; one who has control of the person, the master
      • "in the state: the sovereign, prince, chief, the Roman emperor
      is a title of honor expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants salute their master"this title is given to: God, the Messiah
ἐκολόβωσεν
G2856 V-AAI-3S
koloboō
to dock, i.e., (figuratively) abridge
  • to mutilate
  • "in New Testament: to shorten, abridge, curtail
τὰς
G3588 T-APF
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
ἡμέρας
G2250 N-APF
hēmera
day, i.e., (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context)
  • the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night
    • in the daytime
    • "metaphorically, ___%___the day___%___ is regarded as the time for abstaining from indulgence, vice, crime, because acts of the sort are perpetrated at night and in darkness
    of the civil day, or the space of twenty four hours (thus including the night)"of the last day of this present age, the day Christ will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect his kingdom"used of time in general, i.e., the days of his life.
οὐκ
G3756 PRT-N
ou
the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not
  • no, not
ἂν
G302 PRT
an
whatsoever
  • whatsoever, wheresoever, whosoever, whithersoever
ἐσώθη
G4982 V-API-3S
sōzō
to save, i.e., deliver or protect (literally or figuratively)
  • to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
    • one (from injury or peril)
      • to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e., one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
      to save in the technical biblical sense
      • negatively
        • to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment
        • "to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance
πᾶσα
G3956 A-NSF
pas
all, any, every, the whole
  • individually
    • each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
    collectively
    • some of all types
σάρξ·
G4561 N-NSF
sarx
flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e., (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human being (as such)
  • flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts
  • "the body
    • the body of a man
    • "used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship
      • born of natural generation
      the sensuous nature of man, ___%___the animal nature___%___
      • without any suggestion of depravity
      • "the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin"the physical nature of man as subject to suffering
    a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast"the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God
ἀλλὰ
G235 CONJ
alla
properly, other things, i.e., (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
  • but
    • nevertheless, notwithstanding
    • "an objection"an exception"a restriction"nay, rather, yea, moreover"forms a transition to the cardinal matter
διὰ
G1223 PREP
dia
through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
  • through
    • of place
      • with
      • "in
      of time
      • throughout
      • "during
      of means
      • by
      • "by the means of
    through
    • the ground or reason by which something is or is not done
      • by reason of
      • "on account of"because of for this reason"therefore"on this account
τοὺς
G3588 T-APM
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
ἐκλεκτοὺς
G1588 A-APM
eklektos
select; by implication, favorite
  • picked out, chosen
    • chosen by God,
      • to obtain salvation through Christ
        • Christians are called ___%___chosen or elect___%___ of God
        the Messiah in called ___%___elect___%___, as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable"choice, select, i.e., the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain individual Christians
οὓς
G3739 R-APM
hos
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
  • who, which, what, that
ἐξελέξατο
G1586 V-AMI-3S
eklegomai
to select
  • to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self
    • choosing one out of many, i.e., Jesus choosing his disciples
    • "choosing one for an office"of God choosing whom he judged fit to receive his favors and separated from the rest of mankind to be peculiarly his own and to be attended continually by his gracious oversight
      • i.e., the Israelites
      of God the Father choosing Christians, as those whom he set apart from the irreligious multitude as dear unto himself, and whom he has rendered, through faith in Christ, citizens in the Messianic kingdom: (James 2:5) so that the ground of the choice lies in Christ and his merits only
ἐκολόβωσεν
G2856 V-AAI-3S
koloboō
to dock, i.e., (figuratively) abridge
  • to mutilate
  • "in New Testament: to shorten, abridge, curtail
τὰς
G3588 T-APF
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
ἡμέρας
G2250 N-APF
hēmera
day, i.e., (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context)
  • the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night
    • in the daytime
    • "metaphorically, ___%___the day___%___ is regarded as the time for abstaining from indulgence, vice, crime, because acts of the sort are perpetrated at night and in darkness
    of the civil day, or the space of twenty four hours (thus including the night)"of the last day of this present age, the day Christ will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect his kingdom"used of time in general, i.e., the days of his life.

καὶ εἰ μὴ κύριος ἐκολόβωσεν τὰς ἡμέρας οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθη πᾶσα σάρξ· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς οὓς ἐξελέξατο ἐκολόβωσεν τὰς ἡμέρας
20
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
Cross References

Matthew 24:22

καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐκολοβώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι ἐκεῖναι οὐκ ἂν ἐσώθη πᾶσα σάρξ· διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς κολοβωθήσονται αἱ ἡμέραι ἐκεῖναι
22
And except those days should be shortened, there should no be flesh saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Isaiah 65:8

כֹּה׀ אָמַר יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא הַתִּירוֹשׁ בָּֽאֶשְׁכּוֹל וְאָמַר אַל-תַּשְׁחִיתֵהוּ כִּי בְרָכָה בּוֹ כֵּן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה לְמַעַן עֲבָדַי לְבִלְתִּי הַֽשְׁחִית הַכֹּֽל׃
8
Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

Zechariah 13:8

וְהָיָה בְכָל-הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם-יְהוָה פִּֽי-שְׁנַיִם בָּהּ יִכָּרְתוּ יִגְוָעוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית יִוָּתֶר בָּֽהּ׃
8
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

Romans 11:28

κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι' ὑμᾶς κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας·
28
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for sakes: your but as touching the election, they are beloved for fathers' sakes. the

Isaiah 1:9

לוּלֵי יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת הוֹתִיר לָנוּ שָׂרִיד כִּמְעָט כִּסְדֹם הָיִינוּ לַעֲמֹרָה דָּמִֽינוּ׃
9
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Isaiah 6:13

וְעוֹד בָּהּ עֲשִׂרִיָּה וְשָׁבָה וְהָיְתָה לְבָעֵר כָּאֵלָה וְכָאַלּוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׁלֶּכֶת מַצֶּבֶת בָּם זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ׃
13
But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Romans 11:23

καὶ ἐκεῖνοι δέ ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμείνωσιν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐγκεντρισθήσονται· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν θεὸς πάλιν ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτούς
23
And they also, if they abide still not in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff in them again.

Romans 11:5

οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ λεῖμμα κατ' ἐκλογὴν χάριτος γέγονεν·
5
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.