The Second Coming of Jesus

In today's world, there are those who teach that Jesus has come already in some form or another.  There are also those who teach that the second coming of Jesus is a multistep process, maybe through the rapture until Jesus actually comes for the final time.  And, there are those who teach that Jesus will come as a conquering king to take those who have lived for him back to heaven to be with him.  But, what does the bible itself have to say about this great event?

The author has attempted to find every text in the New Testament that has anything to do with the second coming or makes reference to it, though a few may have been missed.  The results are below.  Consider the preponderance of the evidence in determining the manner and timing of his coming. 

Be aware that the bible indicates 3 comings of Jesus.  The first time was when he was born here on earth about 2,000 years ago, lived among men and women, died on a cross, and then returned to heaven.  There is the second time which is yet future.  Most people believe this to be some sort of divine invasion of earth, with those who have lived for God to be with him thereafter.  There are a number of variations on this idea.  Finally, there is the 3rd time when the New Jerusalem will come from God out of heaven to this world and Jesus will come with it.  Keep these 3 separate events in mind when studying bible prophecy related to the coming of the Lord.  It will help reduce the confusion for you if you are aware which of these comings a verse is referring to. 

The Old Testament contains prophecies of all 3 comings and sometimes it is difficult to know which one is being referred to.  Jesus himself at times referred to several events together when speaking of his second coming, and this too can make it difficult to properly assign events (for example, when answering the disciples questions about the future, he mixed in prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem with those of the tribulation of the 1260 years' time of the beast and the second coming.  Careful study can reveal the truth and properly assign events to their proper time frame. 

One last thing: don't forget to check the context of the verses.  That too is important.  In some cases below, I have included the context verses.

In the future, if time permits, the author may go through the Old Testament and include those verses pertaining to the comings of Jesus.  You will see it when that happens.

Matthew 6:10 - Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Matthew 16:27 - For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works.

Matthew 16:28 - Truly I say to you, There are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

Matthew 24:3 - And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?

Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.

Matthew 24:27 - For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:30 - And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:31 - 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.

Matthew 24:32 - Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

Matthew 24:33 - So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Matthew 24:34 - Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Matthew 24:35 - Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24:37 - But as the days of Noah were, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:38 - For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

Matthew 24:39 - And they did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:40 - Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Matthew 24:41 - Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Matthew 24:42 - Therefore watch; for you do not know what hour your Lord comes.

Matthew 24:43 - But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Matthew 24:44 - Therefore you also be ready, for in that hour you think not, the Son of Man comes.

Matthew 24:45 - Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Matthew 24:46 - Blessed is that servant whom his Lord shall find him doing so when He comes.

Matthew 24:48 - But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming,

Matthew 24:47 - Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Matthew 24:48 - But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Matthew 24:49 - And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Matthew 24:50 - the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he does not look for Him, and in an hour which he does not know.

Matthew 25:13 - Therefore watch, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes.

Matthew 25:31 - But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory.

Matthew 25:32 - And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Matthew 25:33 - And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Matthew 25:34 - Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 25:35 - For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Matthew 25:36 - Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Matthew 25:37 - Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Matthew 25:38 - When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Matthew 25:39 - Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Matthew 25:40 - And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:41 - Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:42 - For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Matthew 25:43 - I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Matthew 25:44 - Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Matthew 25:45 - Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Matthew 25:46 - And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Matthew 26:64 - Jesus said to him, You said it. I tell you more. From this time you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of the heavens.

Mark 8:38 - Therefore whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Mark 9:1 - And He said to them, Truly I say to you that there are some of those who stand here who shall not taste of death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.

Mark 13:26 - And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:27 - And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Mark 13:28 - Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

Mark 13:29 - So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Mark 13:30 - Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Mark 13:31 - Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Mark 13:32 - But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Mark 13:33 - Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Mark 13:34 - For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Mark 13:35 - Then you watch, for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, at evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or early;

Mark 13:36 - lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping.

Mark 13:37 - And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Mark 14:62 - And Jesus said, I AM! And you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of the heaven.

Luke 9:26 - For whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words, the Son of Man shall be ashamed of him when He shall come in His own and in His Father's glory, and that of the holy angels.

Luke 12:36 - And you yourselves be like men who wait for their lord, whenever he shall return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.

Luke 12:37 - Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Truly I say to you that he shall gird himself and make them recline; and coming up he will serve them.

Luke 12:38 - And if he comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and find it so, blessed are those servants.

Luke 12:39 - And know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be dug through.

Luke 12:40 - Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not.

Luke 12:43 - Blessed is that servant when his lord comes and finds him so doing.

Luke 12:45 - But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the male servants and women servants, and to eat and drink and to be drunk,

Luke 12:46 - the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and at an hour when he does not know. And he will cut him apart, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Luke 13:35 - Behold, your house is left to you desolate. And truly I say to you, You will not see Me until it come when you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Luke 17:20 - And being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered and said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation.

Luke 17:21 - Nor shall they say, Lo here! or, behold, there! For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.

Luke 17:22 - And He said to the disciples, The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you shall not see it.

Luke 17:23 - And they shall say to you, Lo, here! or, behold, there! Do not go away, nor follow.

Luke 17:24 - For as the lightning which lights up, flashing from the one part under heaven, and shines to the other part under heaven, so also shall the Son of Man be in His day.

Luke 17:25 - But first He must suffer many things and be rejected of this generation.

Luke 17:26 - And as it was in the days of Noah, so it also shall be in the days of the Son of Man.

Luke 17:27 - They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:28 - So also as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

Luke 17:29 - but the day Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from the heaven and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:30 - Even so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luke 17:31 - In that day he who shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, he who is in the field, let him not return to the things behind.

Luke 17:32 - Remember Lot’s wife.

Luke 17:33 - Whoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Luke 17:34 - I tell you, in that night there shall be two in one bed, the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Luke 17:35 - Two shall be grinding together, one will be taken, and the other left.

Luke 17:36 - Two shall be in the field, one will be taken, and the other left.

Luke 17:37 - And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said to them, Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Luke 18:8 - I say to you that He will avenge them speedily. Yet when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?

Luke 21:26 - men fainting from fear, and expecting those things which have come on the earth. For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

Luke 21:27 - And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 21:34 - And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts are weighed down with headaches and drinking and anxieties of this life; and that day should suddenly come on you;

Luke 21:35 - for it shall come as a snare on all those sitting on the face of the whole earth.

Luke 22:18 - For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come.

Luke 23:42 - And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

John 5:25 - Truly, truly, I say to you, The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live.

John 5:28 - Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice,

John 14:3 - And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also.

John 14:18 - I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

John 14:23 - Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

John 14:28 - You have heard how I said to you, I go away and I am coming to you again. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I go to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.

John 21:22 - Jesus said to him, If I desire that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.

John 21:23 - Then this saying went abroad among the brothers, that that disciple should not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him, He shall not die, but, If I desire that he remain until I come, what is that to you?

Acts 1:4 - And having met with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father which you heard from Me.

Acts 1:5 - For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Acts 1:6 - Then, indeed, these coming together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, do You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:7 - And He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority.

Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you. And you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Acts 1:9 - And saying these things, as they watched, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Acts 1:10 - And while they were looking intently into the heaven, He having gone, even behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,

Acts 1:11 - who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into the heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into Heaven, will come in the way you have seen Him going into Heaven.

1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall each one have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 11:26 - For "as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show" the Lord's death until He shall come.

1 Corinthians 15:21 - For since death is through man, the resurrection of the dead also is through a Man.

1 Corinthians 15:22 - For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:23 - But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ’s at His coming;

1 Corinthians 15:24 - then is the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He makes to cease all rule and all authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:25 - for it is right for Him to reign until He has put all the enemies under His feet.

1 Corinthians 15:26 - The last enemy made to cease is death.

1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. The Lord comes!

1 Thessalonians 2:19 - For what is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are you not even to be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

1 Thessalonians 3:13 - in order to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 - But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 - For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 - For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 - Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 - For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 - For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 - And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 - We are bound to thank God always for you, my brothers, as it is right, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of you abounds toward one another;

2 Thessalonians 1:4 - so much so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you endure.

2 Thessalonians 1:5 - For this is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer,

2 Thessalonians 1:6 - since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you,

2 Thessalonians 1:7 - and to give rest with us to you who are troubled, at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power,

2 Thessalonians 1:8 - in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 Thessalonians 1:9 - who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

2 Thessalonians 1:10 - when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that Day.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 - Now we beseech you, my brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

2 Thessalonians 2:3 - Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition,

2 Thessalonians 2:7 - For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst.

2 Thessalonians 2:8 - And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,

Hebrews 10:37 - For "yet a little while, and He who shall come will come and will not delay."

Hebrews 13:14 - For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

James 5:7 - Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain.

James 5:8 - You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near.

2 Peter 3:3 - First, knowing this, that there will come in the last days scoffers walking according to their own lusts

2 Peter 3:4 - and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:12 - looking for and rushing the coming of the Day of God, on account of which the heavens, being on fire, will melt away, and the elements will melt, burning with heat?

1 John 2:28 - And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He is revealed, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him in His coming.

Revelation 1:4 - John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is coming; and from the seven spirits which are before His throne;

Revelation 1:7 - Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and those who pierced Him will see Him, and all the kindreds of the earth will wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:8 - I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 2:25 - But that which you have, hold fast until I come.

Revelation 3:3 - Remember then how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Revelation 3:11 - Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown.

Revelation 6:17 - for the great day of His wrath has come, and who will be able to stand?

Revelation 11:17 - saying, We thank You, O Lord God Almighty, who are, and who was, and who is coming, because You took Your great power and reigned.

Revelation 16:15 - Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

Revelation 19:7 - Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself.

Revelation 22:7 - Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the Words of the prophecy of this Book.

Revelation 22:12 - And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is.

Revelation 22:20 - He who testifies these things says, Yes, I am coming quickly, Amen. Yes, come, Lord Jesus.

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