If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
Parallel translations
- WEB Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.
- KJV And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
- NKJV And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
- NASB And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
- NLT In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.
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
Unless those days were shortened, no one would survive, but for the elect's sake they will be shortened. It shows God's mercy limiting the tribulation for his chosen people.
Overview
The distress would be so severe that life itself would be threatened, yet God in mercy shortens the days for the sake of his chosen ones. This reveals God's sovereign care to preserve his people through judgment. Even in the darkest times, the elect are kept by the One who governs all things for their good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Mark 13:20If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.
- 2 Tim 2:10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
- Matt 24:31And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
- Matt 24:24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Luke 18:7Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
- Matt 22:14For many are called, but few are chosen.”
- Zech 13:8And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.
- Rom 11:25–31I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
- Rom 9:11Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
- Zech 14:2For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.
- Isa 65:8–9This is what the LORD says: “As the new wine is found in a cluster of grapes, and men say, ‘Do not destroy it, for it contains a blessing,’ so I will act on behalf of My servants; I will not destroy them all.
- Isa 6:13And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”
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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 24:22 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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