Luke 17:24

17:24 For just like the lightning flashes ¹  and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ² 

Luke 24:4

24:4 While ³  they were perplexed ⁴  about this, suddenly ⁵  two men stood beside them in dazzling ⁶  attire.

[17:24]  ¹ sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.

[17:24]  ² tc Some very important mss (Ì⁷⁵ B D it sa) lack the words ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ (en th Jhmera autou, “in his day”), but the words are included in א A L W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat sy bo. On the one hand, the shorter reading is impressive because it has some of the best Alexandrian and Western witnesses in support; on the other hand, the expression ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ is unusual (found nowhere else in the NT), and may be considered the harder reading. A decision is difficult, but it is probably best to retain the words. NA²⁷ rightly has the words in brackets, expressing doubt as to their authenticity.

[24:4]  ³ tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[24:4]  ⁴ tn Or “bewildered.” The term refers to a high state of confusion and anxiety.

[24:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “behold.”

[24:4]  ⁶ sn The brilliantly shining clothing (dazzling attire) points to the fact that these are angels (see 24:23).