Devine Scripture

Matthew 24:31

What does Matthew 24:31 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 24:31 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 24:31 means

Upon His glorious return, Jesus will dispatch His angels with a trumpet call "and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." This describes the great 'rapture' or gathering of all believers, living and dead, from every corner of the earth and from heaven itself, to be with Christ. This event signifies the final redemption and reunion of God's chosen people, fulfilling His promises and marking the ultimate triumph of His kingdom. It is a moment of divine organization and ultimate restoration.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he will send out his angels with a great sound of a horn, and they will get his saints together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and he shall send his messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens unto the ends thereof.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from [the one] extremity of [the] heavens to [the other] extremity of them.

Context

Following the dramatic return of the Son of Man in verse 30, this verse describes the immediate consequence: the gathering of His elect. It details the active role of angels and the encompassing nature of this collection, completing the picture of His visible return and the events directly associated with it, before transitioning to a parable that helps interpret the timing of these prophecies.

v.30and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

v.31This passage

v.32Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 11:12

    And he will set up an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

  • Matthew 24:22

    And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

  • Matthew 13:41

    The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,

  • Psalms 22:27

    All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

  • Psalms 81:3

    Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon, on our feast-day.

  • Zechariah 14:5

    And ye shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with thee.

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