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But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
Mark 13:24 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,
  • KJV But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
  • NKJV “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
  • NASB “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light,
  • NLT “At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light,

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

After that tribulation, cosmic signs appear: the sun darkened and the moon giving no light. Creation itself heralds the climactic coming.

Overview

Jesus draws on prophetic imagery (Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:31) of the sun and moon failing, language that signals the great day of the Lord. These signs mark a turning point from the era of tribulation to the visible coming of the Son of Man. Whether read literally, symbolically, or both, they announce that the present order is giving way to God's decisive intervention.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Isa 13:10For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
  • Acts 2:19–20I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
  • Matt 24:29–31Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
  • Rev 6:12–14And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red,
  • Joel 2:30–31I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.
  • 2 Pet 3:10But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
  • Joel 3:15The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine.
  • Amos 5:20Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness and not light, even gloom with no brightness in it?
  • Zeph 1:14–18The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter.
  • Jer 4:23–25I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
  • Joel 2:10Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness.
  • Dan 12:1“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
  • Luke 21:25–27There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.
  • Dan 7:10A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
  • Ezek 32:7When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.
  • Rev 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
  • Jer 4:28Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”
  • Isa 24:20–23The earth staggers like a drunkard and sways like a shack. Earth’s rebellion weighs it down, and it falls, never to rise again.
  • 2 Pet 3:12as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Mark videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Mark 13:24YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MarkMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

How Mark 13:24 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.