And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
- BSB Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
- NKJV And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
- NASB But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority;
- NLT He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus tells them the Father alone holds authority over times and seasons, which are not theirs to know. It calls believers to trust God's sovereign timing rather than speculate.
Overview
Jesus redirects the apostles from calculating dates to faithful mission. The timing of the kingdom's consummation rests in the Father's authority. This guards the church against date-setting and grounds it in trust and obedience while awaiting Christ's return.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 24:36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
- 1 Th 5:1–2But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
- Mark 13:32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
- Deut 29:29The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
- Mark 10:40But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
- Dan 2:21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
- Eph 1:10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
- Luke 21:24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
- 1 Tim 6:15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
- 2 Tim 3:1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
- Matt 20:23And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
- Acts 17:26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 1:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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