But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Parallel translations
- WEB But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- BSB No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- NKJV “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- NASB But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
- NLT “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
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
No one knows the day or hour — not the angels, nor even the Son, but only the Father. The timing of the end is hidden from all but God.
Overview
Jesus rules out date-setting absolutely; even he, in his earthly mission, did not disclose the exact time, submitting to the Father's plan. This reflects the mystery of the incarnation, in which the eternal Son took a true human nature with its limitations. The practical lesson is plain: since the time is unknown, the only fitting response is constant watchfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 24:36–42But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
- Acts 1:7And 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.
- Matt 25:13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
- Rev 3:3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
- 1 Th 5:1–2But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
- Mark 13:26–27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
- Matt 25:6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
- 2 Pet 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
- Matt 25:19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
- Rev 1:1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 13:32 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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