But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

MARK 13:24KJV
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Mark 13:24 (KJV)

What does Mark 13:24 mean?

Mark 13:24 describes a time after a great period of distress when dramatic signs will appear in the sky: the sun will be darkened and the moon will stop shining. This verse uses vivid language to signal a moment of cosmic upheaval following a time of tribulation.

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to His disciples privately on the Mount of Olives, answering their questions about the future and the end of the age. The verse comes in the middle of a longer teaching where Jesus describes troubling events and signs that will happen before His return. The language here draws on Old Testament imagery to show that these events are not just local or ordinary, but signal something significant on a worldwide scale.

The Greek behind Mark 13:24

  • θλῖψις (thlipsis, "tribulation"): This word often refers to intense trouble or suffering. Its use here points to a period of great distress that comes before the cosmic signs.
  • σκοτισθήσεται (skotisthēsetai, "shall be darkened"): This verb means to become dark or be deprived of light. The Greek emphasizes a sudden, dramatic change in the sun’s appearance, not just a natural eclipse.
  • φέγγος (phengos, "light"): This word refers to brightness or radiance. The phrase "the moon shall not give her light" highlights a complete absence of the moon’s usual glow, underlining the extraordinary nature of these signs.

Why Mark 13:24 matters

  • Mark 13:24 helps clarify that Jesus is describing events that go beyond normal earthly troubles, using cosmic signs to mark a turning point in history.
  • The verse connects Jesus’ teaching to Old Testament prophetic language, showing continuity with earlier messages about God’s intervention in the world.
  • Understanding this verse in context helps readers see that Jesus is preparing His followers for both hardship and hope, emphasizing that these signs are part of a larger plan rather than random disasters.

Where else these words appear

“light” Greek G5338 · used in 3 verses

  • Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
  • Luke 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

“darkened” Greek G4654 · used in 8 verses

  • Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
  • Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
  • Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

“moon” Greek G4582 · used in 9 verses

  • Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
  • Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
  • Revelation 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

“sun” Greek G2246 · used in 32 verses

  • Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
  • Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
  • Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,