Matthew 24

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 51 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

• Codex Vaticanus (AD 325–350)
• Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
• Codex Bezae ({{circa}} 400)
• Codex Washingtonianus ({{circa}} 400)
• Codex Alexandrinus ({{circa}} 400–440)
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus ({{circa}} 450)
• Codex Purpureus Rossanensis (6th century)
• Codex Sinopensis (6th century; extant: verses 3–12)
• Papyrus 83 (6th century; extant: verses 1, 6)

• Matthew 24:15: {{bibleverse|Daniel|11:31|KJV}}; {{bibleverse|Daniel|12:11|KJV}}
• Matthew 24:35: Isaiah 51:6

In the preceding chapters (chapters 21–23), Jesus has been teaching in the Temple and debating with the Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees. Jesus and his disciples now leave the Temple ({{bibleverse|Matthew|24:1|KJV}}), or the temple grounds in the New Living Translation.[http://biblehub.com/nlt/matthew/24.htm New Living Translation] Theologian John Gill observes that Jesus was "never to return".[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/matthew/24.htm Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible] on Matthew 24, accessed 19 February 2017

Arthur Carr reports that in descending the Kedron Valley, to the east of the temple, and then ascending the slope of the Mount of Olives, the disciples could look back and see "the Temple [rising] with its colonnade of dazzling white marble, surmounted with golden roof and pinnacles, and founded on a substructure of huge stones".

Image:NinthAvStonesWesternWall.JPG of the Temple Mount (Jerusalem) thrown onto the street by Roman soldiers in the Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE)]]

In this "introductory scene",Allison, D., 56. Matthew, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), [https://b-ok.org/dl/946961/8f5f43 The Oxford Bible Commentary]{{rp|876}} Jesus predicts that "not one stone shall be left here upon another".{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:2|NKJV}} The prediction follows the sentiments expressed by Jesus in {{bibleverse|Matthew|23:37-38|NKJV}}:

:O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ... See! Your house is left to you desolate.

Methodism's founder John Wesley says that the prediction was "most punctually fulfilled" in that the majority of the temple buildings were burned and then dug up on the orders of the invading Roman general Titus in 70 AD.Wesley, J., [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/wes/matthew/24.htm Wesley's Notes on the Bible] on Matthew 24, accessed 19 February 2017

Jesus and his disciples then proceed to the Mount of Olives, where a conversation occurs about "the end of the age". Jesus's words here called the "Little Apocalypse" or "Olivet Discourse". Jesus appears to have gone ahead of his disciples ({{bibleverse||Matthew|24:3|NKJV}}), who come to him to enquire about the time of the temple's destruction (Tell us, when will these things be?, verse 3) and the significance of his parousia ({{langx|el|παρουσιας}}, parousias). {{bibleverse||Mark|13:3|NIV}} states that only Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to speak with him.

Dale Allison divides Jesus' warnings into three groups:

• the beginning of the woes in the world at large (verses 3–8),
• the intensification of the woes in the church (verses 9—14), and
• the climax of the woes in Judea (verses 15—28).{{rp|876}}

:For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:5|NKJV}}: NKJV

This verse reads 'I am Christ', lacking the definite article, in the Geneva Bible (1599),{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:5|GNV}}: Geneva Bible the King James Version,{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:5|KJV}}: KJV and the New Matthew Bible {{bibleverse|Matthew|24:5|NMB}}: NMB (a modernised version of the New Testament of William Tyndale).BibleGateway.com, [https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Matthew-Bible-NMB/ New Matthew Bible: Version Information], accessed 10 October 2019 Carr (1882 onwards) observes that "the Christ, the Messiah" is correct, departing from the King James Version then in use.

:Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:9|NABRE}}: New American Bible Revised Edition

This foretelling of Christian suffering is concerned with making it bearable.{{rp|876}}

:Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation', spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand) {{bibleverse|Matthew|24:15|NKJV}}: NKJV

The "abomination of desolation" is alternatively described as the "desolating sacrifice" in the New Revised Standard Version.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:15|NRSV}}: NRSV Citation from {{bibleverse|Daniel|11:31|9}}; {{bibleverse|Daniel|12:11|9}}

:Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:20|RSV}}: Revised Standard Version

The hardship associated with escape during winter is likely to arise from bad weather.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:20|EXB}}: Expanded Bible Allison notes the absence of any explanation as to why flight on a sabbath day might also be more challenging; he suggests that Matthew's community might still have observed the sabbath as a day of rest, with its traditional travel restrictions, and been both hesitant and unprepared for flight on such a day.{{rp|877}}

:"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

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

:And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet."{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:29-31|KJV}} KJV

In the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh gives an interpretation of Matthew 24:29-31 in his major theological work Kitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude),{{cite book |author=Bahá'u'lláh |author-link=Bahá'u'lláh |year=1931 |title=Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude |publisher=Baháʹí publishing committee |url=https://www.bahai.org/r/663902635 |translator-last1=Effendi |translator-first1=Shoghi |translator-link1=Shoghi Effendi |oclc=603643768 }} Paragraphs 24-51, 66-87.{{cite book |first=Hooper C. |last=Dunbar |year=1998 |title=A Companion to the Study of the Kitáb-i-Íqán |publisher=George Ronald |location=Oxford, United Kingdom |isbn=0-85398-430-1 |pages=52–53}} giving detailed explanations about the allegorical meanings of each of these phrases.{{cite book |last=Buck |first=Christopher |year=1995 |title=Symbol & Secret |publisher=Kalimát Press |location=Los Angeles, US |isbn=0-933770-80-4 |url=https://bahai-library.com/buck_symbol_secret_quran |pages=120–126 }}

:Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.{{bibleverse|Matthew|24:35|KJV}}: KJV

Jesus’ words refer to an Old Testament saying recorded in Isaiah 51:6:

:For the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

:The earth will grow old like a garment,

:And those who dwell in it will die in like manner;

:But My salvation will be forever,

:And My righteousness will not be abolished.{{bibleverse|Isaiah|51:6|NKJV}}: NKJV

• Noah {{relevance inline|date=August 2024}}
• Noah's Ark {{relevance inline|date=August 2024}}
• Noah's Flood {{relevance inline|date=August 2024}}
• Other related Bible parts: Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Isaiah 51, Jeremiah 15, Daniel 11, Daniel 12, Matthew 25, Mark 13, Luke 12, Luke 17, Luke 21, 2 Peter 3
• Rapture
• Joseph Smith–Matthew, a retranslation of Matthew 24

{{reflist}}

• {{bibleverse|Matthew|24|KJV}} King James Bible - Wikisource
• [http://www.latinvulgate.com/lv/verse.aspx?t=1&b=1&c=24 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate]
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=Matthew+24 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=24 Multiple Bible versions at Bible Gateway] (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)

{{Gospel of Matthew}}

Category:Gospel of Matthew chapters