Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
- KJV Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
- NKJV “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
- NASB “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
- NLT And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
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 says some standing there will not die before seeing the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. It matters because it promises a near display of his royal glory.
Overview
Jesus assures his hearers that some will witness the Son of Man's kingly power before death. Faithful interpreters understand this variously—as the Transfiguration that immediately follows, the resurrection, Pentecost, or the kingdom's powerful advance—rather than the final return. The immediately following Transfiguration gives a strong, natural fulfillment of seeing his glory. The saying assures the disciples that Christ's kingdom would soon be unmistakably revealed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Luke 9:27But I tell you truthfully, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
- Mark 9:1Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”
- John 8:52“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death.
- Matt 26:64“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- Matt 10:23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- Luke 21:27–28At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
- Mark 13:26At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
- Luke 2:26The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
- Heb 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
- Matt 24:3While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
- Matt 24:42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
- 1 Th 1:10and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.
- Matt 24:27–31For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Luke 18:8I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 16:28 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.