24:3 As 5 he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things 6 happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
24:29 “Immediately 10 after the suffering 11 of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 12 24:30 Then 13 the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, 14 and 15 all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They 16 will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven 17 with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven 18 to the other.
24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day 19 your Lord will come.
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.”
3 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn) I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.
4 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.” “Town” was chosen here to emphasize the extensive nature of the disciples’ ministry. The same word is translated earlier in the verse as “place.”
5 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
6 sn Because the phrase these things is plural, more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.
7 sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.
8 tn The same Greek term can refer to “eagles” or “vultures” (L&N 4.42; BDAG 22 s.v. ἀετός), but in this context it must mean vultures because the gruesome image is one of dead bodies being consumed by scavengers.
9 tn Grk “will be gathered.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in English.
10 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
11 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
12 sn An allusion to Isa 13:10, 34:4 (LXX); Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
14 tn Or “in the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
15 tn Here τότε (tote, “then”) has not been translated to avoid redundancy in English.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
17 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full authority to judge.
18 tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
19 tc Most later
20 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
21 sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
22 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
23 tn Grk “they.”
24 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.
25 tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.
26 sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.
27 tn Grk “And then” (καὶ τότε, kai tote). Here καί has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
28 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.
29 sn These things are all the events of vv. 8-27. Disciples represent the righteous here. The events surrounding the fall of the nation are a down payment on a fuller judgment to come on all humanity. The presence of one guarantees the other.
30 sn With Jesus’ return comes the manifestation of judgment and final salvation (redemption).