Matthew 24: The temple, the end of the age, and watching
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus leaves the temple and tells his disciples that not one stone will be left on another. On the Mount of Olives they ask him when this will be and what the sign of his coming and of the end of the age is. He tells them what he says will happen, warns them against being led astray, and tells them to watch because no one knows the day or the hour. He ends with a faithful servant and an evil servant who begins to beat his fellow servants.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells verses 1 to 4, and the disciples ask their question in verse 3. Jesus speaks in verse 2 and from verse 4 to the end of the chapter, and his speech goes on into chapter 25. Inside his words he gives what others will say: the many who say "I am the Christ" (verse 5), those who say "Here is the Christ" (verse 23) or "he is in the wilderness" (verse 26), and the evil servant (verse 48). No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
In plain English: Jesus went out from the temple and was walking away. His disciples came to him to point out the buildings of the temple.
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2But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”
In plain English: He answered them, "Do you not see all these things? I tell you truly, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down."
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3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
In plain English: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age (or: world)?"
The Greek words: "Coming" is parousia. The dictionary gives "a being near, i.e. advent". It is in 4 verses of Matthew, all in this chapter (, , and ), and this Bible prints "coming" in all 4. "The end of the age" is synteleia tou aionos. The dictionary gives synteleia as "entire completion" and aion as "properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity (also past); by implication, the world". The words "the end of the age" are in 5 verses of Matthew: , , , here and .
How it is translated: This Bible has "the end of the age" here. In the 9 verses of Matthew with aion, this Bible has "age" in 6 and "world" in 1.
What changes: Read as "age", the question is about the end of a period of time. Read as "world", it is about the end of the world.
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4Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.
In plain English: Jesus answered them, "Watch out that no one leads you astray.
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5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.
In plain English: Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.
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6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
In plain English: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
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7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.
In plain English: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, plagues and earthquakes in various places.
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8But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
In plain English: All these things are the beginning of birth pains.
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9“Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.
In plain English: Then they will hand you over to oppression (or: trouble) and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.
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10Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
In plain English: Then many will stumble (or: fall away), and they will hand one another over and hate one another.
The Greek word: "Stumble" is skandalizo. The dictionary gives "to entrap, i.e. trip up". It is in 13 verses of Matthew. This Bible prints "stumble" in 10 of them and "offend" in 2.
What changes: Read as "stumble", many trip over something. Read as "fall away", many turn away from what they followed. The verse does not say what they stumble over.
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11Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.
In plain English: Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.
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12Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.
In plain English: Because lawlessness (this Bible: iniquity) will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.
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13But he who endures to the end will be saved.
In plain English: But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The Greek words: "Saved" is sozo. The dictionary gives "to save, i.e. deliver or protect". It is in 14 verses of Matthew. "The end" is telos. The dictionary gives "properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state". It is in 6 verses of Matthew, 3 of them in this chapter (, here and ).
Good to know: has almost the same sentence: "You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved." This verse does not say what the one is saved from, or when the end is.
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14This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
In plain English: This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in the whole world (or: inhabited earth) as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
The Greek words: "The whole world" is en hole te oikoumene. Oikoumene is in 16 verses of the New Testament and in Matthew only here. The dictionary gives "land, i.e. the (terrene part of the) globe; specially, the Roman empire". For example, has "all the world should be enrolled".
What changes: Read as the whole inhabited world, the Good News goes out everywhere. Read as "the Roman empire", it goes out through the lands under Rome.
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15“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
In plain English: So when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
The Greek words: "Abomination" is bdelygma. The dictionary gives "a detestation, i.e. (specially) idolatry". It is in 6 verses of the New Testament. "Desolation" is eremosis, which the dictionary gives as "despoliation". It is in 3 verses of the New Testament: here, and .
Good to know: Matthew says the words were spoken "through Daniel the prophet". Daniel has "the abomination that makes desolate" in and , and "one who makes desolate" in . This verse does not say what the abomination is or where "the holy place" is. The words "let the reader understand" are in parentheses. The text does not say whether they are Jesus's words or a word to the reader from Matthew. has the same bracketed words.
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16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
In plain English: then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.
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17Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.
In plain English: Let the one on the housetop not come down to take the things out of his house.
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18Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.
In plain English: Let the one in the field not turn back to get his clothes.
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19But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!
In plain English: But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
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20Pray that your flight will not be in the winter nor on a Sabbath,
In plain English: Pray that your flight will not be in winter, nor on a Sabbath,
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21for then there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.
In plain English: for then there will be great suffering (or: oppression), such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be.
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22Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.
In plain English: And unless those days had been cut short, no one (literally: no flesh) would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short.
The Greek words: "Flesh" is sarx. The dictionary gives it a wide range, from "the meat of an animal (as food)" to "the body" and "a human being (as such)". It is in 5 verses of Matthew. "The chosen ones" is eklektoi. The dictionary gives "select; by implication, favorite". It is in 5 verses of Matthew, and this Bible prints "chosen" in all 5: , , here, and .
What changes: Read as "no human being", the verse says no one would have been saved. Read word for word as "no flesh", it speaks of all flesh, the body. The verse does not say who the chosen ones are.
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23“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There!’ don’t believe it.
In plain English: Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Here!', do not believe it.
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24For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
In plain English: For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
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25“Behold, I have told you beforehand.
In plain English: Look, I have told you ahead of time.
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26“If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.
In plain English: So if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. Or, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
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27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
In plain English: For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
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28For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together.
In plain English: Wherever the dead body is, there the eagles (or: vultures) will be gathered together.
The Greek word: "Vultures" is aetos. The dictionary gives "an eagle (from its wind-like flight)". It is in 5 verses of the New Testament. This Bible prints "eagle" in 3 and "vulture" in 2: here and .
What changes: Read as "eagles", the picture is of eagles gathering. Read as "vultures", it is of birds that feed on the dead. The word is the same. The verse does not say what the dead body stands for.
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29“But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
In plain English: Immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Good to know: Similar pictures of the sun, the moon and the stars are in : "The sun will be darkened in its going out, and the moon will not cause its light to shine." Also in and . Matthew does not name them here.
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30and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
In plain English: And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth (or: land) will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Good to know: has: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man." Matthew does not name it here.
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31He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
In plain English: He will send out his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
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32“Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.
In plain English: Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch has already become tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.
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33Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors.
In plain English: In the same way you also, when you see all these things, know that he (or: it) is near, at the doors.
The Greek words: "Is near" is engys estin. The Greek has no separate word for "he" or "it", so the verse can be read either way. This Bible has "he".
What changes: Read as "he is near", a person is near. Read as "it is near", a thing or an event is near. The verse does not say which.
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34Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.
In plain English: I tell you truly, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen.
The Greek word: "Generation" is genea. The dictionary gives "a generation; by implication, an age (the period or the persons)". It is in 10 verses of Matthew, and this Bible prints "generation" in all 10. It is also used with words that describe the people, such as "an evil and adulterous generation" () and "Faithless and perverse generation" (). The same words "this generation" are in .
What changes: Read as the people alive when Jesus speaks, "this generation" means those people. Read as "an age", it means a period of time. Read as a kind of people, it is not tied to one lifetime. The verse does not say which "things" it means.
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35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
In plain English: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.
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36“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
In plain English: But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father alone.
Good to know: has: "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." In the Greek text this page follows, Mark 13:32 has the words for "nor the Son" (oude ho huios) and Matthew 24:36 does not. Matthew has "my Father alone", and Mark has "the Father".
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37As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
In plain English: As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
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38For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,
In plain English: For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark (this Bible: ship),
The Greek word: "Ark" is kibotos. The dictionary gives "a box, i.e. the sacred ark and that of Noah". It is in 6 verses of the New Testament. This Bible prints "ark" in 2 of them and "ship" in 4, including here and .
Good to know: The days of Noah are told in and : "Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, because of the floodwaters." and have a similar saying.
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39and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
In plain English: and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
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40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.
In plain English: Then two men will be in the field: one is taken and one is left.
The Greek words: "Taken" is paralambano. The dictionary gives "to receive near, i.e. associate with oneself". It is in 16 verses of Matthew. In some it is "took" along, for example : "Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother". "Left" is aphiemi. A different word, airo ("to lift up; by implication, to take up or away"), is used in for the flood that "took them all away".
Good to know: The verse does not say where the one who is taken goes, or who takes him. and have a similar saying: "One will be taken and the other will be left."
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41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.
In plain English: Two women will be grinding at the mill: one is taken and one is left.
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42Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.
In plain English: So keep watch, because you do not know in what hour your Lord comes.
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43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
In plain English: But know this: if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
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44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
In plain English: So you also, be ready, because the Son of Man comes at an hour you do not expect.
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45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
In plain English: Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has put over his household to give them their food at the right time?
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46Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
In plain English: Blessed (or: Happy) is that servant whom his lord finds doing this when he comes.
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47Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
In plain English: I tell you truly, he will put him over all his possessions.
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48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
In plain English: But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming,'
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49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,
In plain English: and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
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50the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,
In plain English: the lord of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect it and in an hour when he does not know it,
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51and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
In plain English: and will cut him in pieces (or: flog him severely) and put his place with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
The Greek word: "Cut in pieces" is dichotomeo. The dictionary gives "to bisect, i.e. (by extension) to flog severely". It is in 2 verses of the New Testament: here and .
How it is translated: This Bible has "cut him in pieces".
What changes: Read as "cut in two", the master cuts the servant's body in two. Read as "flog severely", the master punishes him with a hard beating. The verse says no more.
The Greek words: "Weeping" is klauthmos and "grinding" is brygmos, which the dictionary gives as "a grating (of the teeth)". "Weeping" is in 7 verses of Matthew. The two words together are in 6: , , , , here and . This Bible prints "gnashing" in 4 of them and "grinding" in 2: here and 22:13.
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