Matthew 24
24
1 #
Mk 13.1-31; Lk 21.1-33. Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2#Mt 26.61; 27.39-40; Lk 19.44; Jn 2.19. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.”
3 #
Lk 17.20; Mt 13.39,40,49; 28.20; 16.27. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” 4And Jesus answered them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. 5#Mt 24.11,23-24; 1 Jn 2.18. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6#Rev 6.3-8,12-17; Is 19.2. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.
9 #
Mt 10.17-18,22; Jn 15.18; 16.2. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10And then many will fall away,#24.10 Or stumble and betray one another, and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold. 13#Mt 10.22; Rev 2.7. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 14#Mt 28.19; Rom 10.18. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.
15 #
Dan 9.27; 11.31; 12.11. “So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17#Lk 17.31. let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; 18and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. 19#Lk 23.29. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! 20Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21#Dan 12.1; Joel 2.2. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23Then if any one says to you, ‘Lo, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25Lo, I have told you beforehand. 26#Lk 17.22-24; Rev 1.7. So, if they say to you, ‘Lo, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; if they say, ‘Lo, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. 28#Lk 17.37; Job 39.30. Wherever the body is, there the eagles#24.28 Or vultures will be gathered together.
29 #
Rev 8.12; Is 13.10; Ezek 32.7; Joel 2.10-11; Zeph 1.15. “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 the heavens will be shaken; 30#Mt 16.27; Dan 7.13; Rev 1.7. then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; 31#1 Cor 15.52; 1 Thess 4.16; Is 27.13; Zech 9.14. and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34#Mt 16.28. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place. 35#Mt 5.18; Lk 16.17. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
36 #
Acts 1.6-7. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son,#24.36 Other ancient authorities omit nor the Son but the Father only. 37#Lk 17.26-27; Gen 6.5-8; 7.6-24. As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. 40#Lk 17.34-35. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. 42#Mk 13.35; Lk 12.40; Mt 25.13. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43#Lk 12.39-46. #1 Thess 5.2; Rev 3.3; 16.15; 2 Pet 3.10. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 #
Mt 25.21,23. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 47Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49#Lk 21.34. and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, 51#Mt 8.12; 13.42,50; 22.13; 25.30; Lk 13.28. and will punish#24.51 Or cut him in pieces him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
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Matthew 24: RSV
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Matthew 24
24
Signs of Christ’s Return
1Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the [magnificent and massive] #The massive size and polished surfaces of the fitted stones that formed the temple structure created a magnificent sight (cf Luke 21:5). The refurbishing of the temple was begun by Herod the Great in 20 b.c. and was completed in a.d. 64 by Herod Agrippa II. The rabbis had a saying: “Whoever has not seen the temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building” (as quoted from the Talmud). They also said that Herod built it of yellow, white, and perhaps blue marble; and that he intended to cover it with gold, but the rabbis advised him not to because it was beautiful just as it was, looking like the waves of the sea.buildings of the temple. 2And He said to them, “Do you see all these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone here will be left on another, which will not be torn down.”
3While Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, and said, “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”
4Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. 5For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. 6You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].
9 “Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. 11Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. 12Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. 13But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. 14This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come.
Perilous Times
15 “So when you see the # I.e. the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:4), “the prince who is to come” who will make a covenant with Israel, then break it in the middle of the tribulation (the seven-year period of Dan 9:27). abomination of desolation [the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the #I.e. the reader of the book of Daniel (cf 24:15). Jesus is indicating that the final fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to come.reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge]. 17Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house [because there will not be enough time]. 18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 19And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20Pray that your flight [from persecution and suffering] will not be in winter, or on a Sabbath [when Jewish laws prohibit travel]. 21For #The most obvious sign during the tribulation, prior to the second coming of Jesus, is when the abomination that causes desolation (the Antichrist) sets his image in the temple.at that time there will be a great tribulation (pressure, distress, oppression), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [again]. 22And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened. 23Then if anyone says to you [during the great tribulation], ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones). 25Listen carefully, I have told you in advance. 26So if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there, or, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms [of a house],’ do not believe it. 27For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly]. 28Wherever the corpse is, there the #The Greek for “vultures” can also be translated “eagles,” but the reference is most likely to the vulture, which the Greek word includes with eagles as a class. The meaning of this much discussed verse is either that the corpse represents the returning Christ, whose appearance will attract the attention of the entire world, that is, the vultures; or that the corrupt world is the corpse, about to be judged by the returning Christ (Rev 19:18).vultures will flock together.
The Glorious Return
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not provide its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor]. 31And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33so you, too, when you see all #I.e. false christs, wars, famines, earthquakes.these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right #I.e. the return of the Christ is imminent.at the door. 34I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place. 35Heaven and earth [as now known] 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 [in His humanity], but the Father alone. 37For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment]. 40At that time two men will be in the field; one will be #This is not the removal of the church described in 1 Thess 4:13-18 and Rev 3:10. The one taken is taken for judgment just as the wicked were taken by the flood in Noah’s day. The one left is left to enter the kingdom that Christ will establish.taken [for judgment] and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken [for judgment] and one will be left.
Be Ready for His Coming
42 “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time? 46Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so. 47I assure you and most solemnly say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’ 49and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards; 50the 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, 51and will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].
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