Mark 13:30

Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples on the Mount of Olives, responding to their inquiry about the timing of the end. He speaks this declaration immediately after describing the sequence of events that precede His return.

The words — The Greek οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ (ou mē parelthē) combines a double negative with the aorist subjunctive to state absolutely that the generation will not pass away. Ἀμὴν (Amēn) serves as a fixed declaration of truth that anchors the following statement.

The thread — The identical declaration appears in Matthew 24:34 and Luke 21:32 within the parallel Olivet Discourse. Matthew 16:28 employs a parallel structure to bind prophetic fulfillment to the lifespan of Jesus' contemporaries.

Why it lands — The text states that the described events will occur within the lifetime of the original audience. It requires the reader to treat the preceding signs as urgent and historically bounded rather than open-ended or purely symbolic.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ἈμὴνAmēnAmen λέγωlegōI say ὑμῖνhuminto you ὅτιhotithat οὐoucertainly μὴmēnot παρέλθῃparelthēmay have passed away ἡhē<the>γενεὰgeneageneration αὕτηhautēthis μέχριςmechrisuntil οὗhouwhen ταῦταtautathese things πάνταpantaall γένηται.genētaimay happen.

King James Version

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Cross-references

Matthew 24:34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
Luke 21:32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
Matthew 16:28 Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Matthew 23:36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Mark 9:1 Then 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.”