17:24a

The Berean Standard Bible follows the order of the Greek text here. The New International Version arranges the information in this verse in a different order:

24aFor the Son of Man in his day 24bwill be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. (New International Version)

Use a natural order in your language.

For: The word For introduces the explanation of what Jesus said in 17:23. Some English versions do not have a conjunction here, because the connection is implied.

just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other: The expression from one end to the other is more literally “out of a (part) of the sky into (another part) of the sky.” Here is another way to translate this:

flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other (English Standard Version)

In this context the expression probably indicates that the lightning makes the whole sky bright when it flashes. This meaning fits the context, since Jesus indicated that his coming would be obvious to everyone. Some ways to translate this meaning are:

suddenly lights up the entire sky
-or-
shines/flashes in the whole sky

17:24a

so will be the Son of Man in His day: Here Jesus compared his coming to lightning. Just as everyone can see lightning, so everyone will be able to see the Son of Man when he comes. He will not be hidden in some place where people will have to search for him. It will be obvious to everyone that he has come.

In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

The return of the Son of Man will be ⌊as clear/obvious⌋ as lightning
-or-

⌊Everyone will know⌋ when the Son of Man returns, for ⌊they will see him,⌋ just as ⌊people see⌋ lightning in the sky

the Son of Man in His day: The phrase the Son of Man in His day refers to the day or time when Jesus, the Son of Man, will return to earth. Another way to translate this is:

when the Son of Man returns (New Living Translation (1996))

the Son of Man: The phrase Son of Man is a term that Jesus often used to refer to himself. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate explicitly that Jesus was referring to himself here. For example:

⌊I,⌋ the Son of Man

For more information, see the note on 17:22a–b.

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