Matthew 24
Lexham English Bible
The Destruction of the Temple Predicted
24 And as Jesus went out of the temple courts[a] he was going along, and his disciples came up to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered and[b] said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone will be left here on another stone that will not be thrown down!”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 And as[c] he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came up to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and[d] said to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many. 6 And you are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.[e] 8 But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
Persecution of Disciples Predicted
9 “Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations[f] because of my name. 10 And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another, 11 and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many, 12 and because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end—this person will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations,[g] and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation[h] spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place” (let the one who reads understand), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 17 The one who is on his[i] housetop must not come down to take things out of his house, 18 and the one who is in the field must not turn back to pick up his cloak. 19 And woe to those who are pregnant[j] and to those who are nursing their babies[k] in those days! 20 But pray that your flight may not happen in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great tribulation, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will happen. 22 And unless those days had been shortened, no human being would be saved.[l] But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened.
23 “At that time if anyone should say to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘Here he is,’ do not believe him![m] 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear, and will produce great signs and wonders in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you ahead of time! 26 Therefore if they say to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or[n] ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it![o] 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Arrival of the Son of Man
29 “And immediately after the tribulation of those days,
‘the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.’[p]
30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,[q] and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven[r] with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect together from the four winds, from one end of heaven[s] to the other end of it.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch has already become tender and puts forth its[t] leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also you, when you see all these things, know[u] that he is near, at the door. 34 Truly I say to you that this generation will never pass away until all these things take place! 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The Unknown Day and Hour
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows—not even the angels of heaven nor the Son—except the Father alone. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For as in the days[v] before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered into the ark. 39 And they did not know anything[w] until the deluge came and swept them[x] all away. So also the coming of the Son of Man will be. 40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming! 43 But understand this: that if the master of the house had known what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not think he will come.[y]
A Faithful Slave and an Unfaithful Slave
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household slaves to give them their[z] food at the right time? 46 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing when he[aa] comes back. 47 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But if that evil slave should say to himself,[ab] ‘My master is staying away for a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and at an hour that he does not know, 51 and will cut him in two and assign his place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Footnotes
- Matthew 24:1 Here “courts” is supplied to distinguish this area from the interior of the temple building itself
- Matthew 24:2 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 24:3 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was sitting”)
- Matthew 24:4 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 24:7 Or “in place after place”
- Matthew 24:9 Or “Gentiles”; the same Greek word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context
- Matthew 24:14 Or “Gentiles”; the same Greek word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context
- Matthew 24:15 An allusion to Dan 9:27
- Matthew 24:17 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 24:19 Literally “who have in the womb”
- Matthew 24:19 The words “their babies” are not in the Greek text but are supplied as a necessary clarification
- Matthew 24:22 Literally “every flesh would not be saved”
- Matthew 24:23 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 24:26 Here “or” is supplied because of English style
- Matthew 24:26 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 24:29 A quotation from Isa 13:10; 34:4
- Matthew 24:30 Or “the sky”
- Matthew 24:30 Or “the sky”
- Matthew 24:31 Or “of the sky”
- Matthew 24:32 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 24:33 Or “you know”
- Matthew 24:38 Some manuscripts have “those days”
- Matthew 24:39 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 24:39 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 24:44 *The words “he will come” are not in the Greek text but are implied
- Matthew 24:45 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 24:46 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“comes back”) which is understood as temporal
- Matthew 24:48 Literally “in his heart”
Matthew 24
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
24 Jesus departed from the temple [a]area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him.
2 But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.
3 While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?
4 Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].
5 For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [[b]appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;
8 All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the [c]birth pangs [of the [d]intolerable anguish].
9 Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will [e]begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.
11 And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.
12 And the love of [f]the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,
13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.
14 And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.
15 So when you see the appalling sacrilege [the abomination that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place—let the reader take notice and [g]ponder and consider and heed [this]—(A)
16 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;
17 Let him who is on the housetop not come down and go into the house to take anything;
18 And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his overcoat.
19 And alas for the women who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation (affliction, distress, and oppression) such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now—no, and never will be [again].(B)
22 And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened.
23 If anyone says to you then, Behold, here is the Christ (the Messiah)! or, There He is!—do not believe it.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones).
25 See, I have warned you beforehand.
26 So if they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness (desert)—do not go out there; if they tell you, Behold, He is in the secret places or inner rooms—do not believe it.
27 For just as the lightning flashes from the east and shines and [h]is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 Wherever there is a fallen body (a corpse), there the vultures (or eagles) will flock together.(C)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.(D)
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and [i]beat their breasts and lament in anguish, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliancy and splendor].(E)
31 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect (His chosen ones) from the four winds, [even] from one end of the [j]universe to the other.(F)
32 From the fig tree learn this lesson: as soon as its [k]young shoots become soft and tender and it puts out its leaves, you know [l]of a surety that summer is near.
33 So also when you see these signs, [m]all taken together, coming to pass, you may know [n]of a surety that He is near, at the very doors.
34 Truly I tell you, this generation ([o]the whole multitude of people living at the same time, [p]in a definite, [q]given period) will not pass away till all these things [r]taken together take place.
35 [s]Sky and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
36 But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For just as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, [men] marrying and [women] being given in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah went into the ark,
39 And they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away—so will be the coming of the Son of Man.(G)
40 At that time two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
42 Watch therefore [[t]give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [[u]whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming.
43 But understand this: had the householder known in what [part of the night, whether in a [v]night or a morning] watch the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be [w]undermined and broken into.
44 You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.
45 Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?
46 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and [x]to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing.
47 I solemnly declare to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48 But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, My master is delayed and is going to be gone a long time,
49 And begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken,
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware,
51 And will punish him [[y]cut him up by scourging] and put him with the pretenders (hypocrites); there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
Footnotes
- Matthew 24:1 Richard Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament.
- Matthew 24:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:8 Literal translation.
- Matthew 24:8 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:10 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:12 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:15 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:27 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:30 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:31 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:32 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:32 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:33 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:33 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:34 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:34 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:34 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:34 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:35 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
- Matthew 24:42 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:42 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:43 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
- Matthew 24:43 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
- Matthew 24:46 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
- Matthew 24:51 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
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