The New Testament contains two complementary themes:
The kingdom was inaugurated during the lifetime of Jesus' disciples, particularly through Christ's resurrection, ascension, and exaltation.
The kingdom also has a future consummation, when Christ returns, judges the world, and fully establishes His reign.
The following table places the principal passages side by side.
| Kingdom Coming During the Disciples’ Lifetime | Future Consummation of the Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Matthew 16:27–28 — “There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” | Matthew 25:31–34 — “When the Son of Man comes in His glory… then He will sit on His glorious throne.” |
| Mark 9:1 — “Some standing here will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” | Matthew 13:39–43 — At the end of the age the righteous will shine in the kingdom of their Father. |
| Luke 9:27 — “Some standing here will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” | Luke 21:27–31 — The Son of Man comes with power and great glory; “the kingdom of God is near.” |
| Matthew 10:23 — “You will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” | 2 Timothy 4:1 — Christ “is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.” |
| Matthew 24:34 — “This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have taken place.” | 2 Peter 1:11 — Entrance into “the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” |
| Luke 21:32 — “This generation will certainly not pass away until all has taken place.” | 1 Corinthians 15:23–28 — Christ reigns until every enemy is defeated, then delivers the kingdom to the Father. |
| Acts 2:30–36 — Peter says Jesus was raised and exalted to David’s throne. | Revelation 11:15 — “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” |
| Matthew 28:18 — “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” | Revelation 20:4–6 — The saints reign with Christ. |
| Romans 14:9 — Christ died and rose “that He might be Lord.” | Revelation 21:1–4 — The new heaven and new earth; God dwells with His people forever. |
| Ephesians 1:20–22 — God raised Christ and seated Him above all rule and authority. | Revelation 22:1–5 — God’s servants reign forever and ever. |
| Colossians 1:13 — Believers “have been transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son.” | Matthew 8:11 — Many will come from east and west and recline in the kingdom with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. |
| Hebrews 1:3, 8 — After making purification for sins, Christ sat down at God’s right hand; “Your throne, O God, is forever.” | Luke 22:29–30 — The apostles will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| Revelation 1:5 — Jesus is “the ruler of the kings of the earth.” | Matthew 26:29 — Jesus will drink the fruit of the vine anew “in My Father’s kingdom.” |
| Matthew 12:28 — “If I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” |
The passages in the left column generally emphasize that:
Jesus would receive royal authority soon.
Some of His listeners would live to witness that event.
His reign began with His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation.
Believers were already living under His kingdom (e.g., Colossians 1:13).
The passages in the right column describe what theologians often call the consummation of the kingdom:
Christ’s visible return.
The resurrection of the dead.
Final judgment.
The defeat of death.
The renewal of creation.
The everlasting reign of God with His people.
These two sets of passages are not necessarily in conflict. Many scholars describe the New Testament's teaching as an “already–not yet” kingdom: Christ's kingdom was already inaugurated at His exaltation, but it has not yet reached its final, universal manifestation. This framework explains why the New Testament can speak of the kingdom as both present (e.g., Acts 2:30–36; Colossians 1:13) and future (e.g., Matthew 25:31–34; Revelation 21–22).
There are several passages parallel to Matthew 16:28 that speak of some of Jesus’ contemporaries living to see the coming or manifestation of his kingdom. The interpretation of these verses varies (e.g., Transfiguration, resurrection/ascension, Pentecost, Jerusalem’s fall in AD 70, or the Second Coming), but here are the principal texts.
“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels... Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
“Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”
Mark’s wording differs slightly:
“kingdom of God”
“come with power”
This language naturally recalls events such as the resurrection, ascension, and Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:8; 2), though some interpret it differently.
"There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Luke shortens the saying but preserves the same essential promise.
“You will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
This is another “before you finish...” statement that many scholars connect with an event occurring within the disciples' generation.
“They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven... Truly I say to you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”
This is one of the most debated time statements in the New Testament because it explicitly mentions “this generation.”
Mark’s parallel concludes:
“This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have taken place.”
Luke likewise records:
“They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud... Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all has taken place.”
These don’t repeat Matthew 16:28, but they describe Jesus’ kingdom as already inaugurated shortly after his resurrection.
Acts 2:32–36 — Jesus is exalted to David’s throne.
Matthew 28:18 — “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Ephesians 1:20–22 — Christ seated above all rule and authority.
Colossians 1:13 — believers have already been transferred into Christ’s kingdom.
Revelation 1:5 — Jesus is “the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
These passages are often cited by those who understand Matthew 16:28 as referring to the inauguration of Christ’s kingdom rather than only to a distant future event.
One reason many interpreters connect Matthew 16:28 with the Transfiguration is the literary structure of the Gospels:
Matthew 16:28 → Matthew 17:1–8
Mark 9:1 → Mark 9:2–8
Luke 9:27 → Luke 9:28–36
In all three Gospels, the Transfiguration follows immediately (after “six days” in Matthew and Mark, “about eight days” in Luke). Peter later describes that event as witnessing Christ’s “majesty” (2 Peter 1:16–18), which many see as a preview of his royal glory.
The passages most closely related to Matthew 16:28 are:
Matthew 16:28
Mark 9:1
Luke 9:27
Matthew 10:7
Matthew 12:28
Together, these form the principal New Testament sayings in which Jesus indicates that at least some of his contemporaries would witness a significant manifestation of the Son of Man’s kingdom or coming. The main interpretive question is what event Jesus had in view—whether the Transfiguration, the resurrection and ascension, Pentecost, the judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70, the Second Coming, or some combination of these.