Matthew 24
BSASBJesus leaves the temple and tells His disciples that its great buildings will be torn down. On the Mount of Olives He answers their questions about what lies ahead: troubles and deceivers, a time of great distress, and His own return in glory. He ends with a call to be watchful, ready and faithful, because no one knows the day.
Matthew 24:1-2
The disciples admire the massive temple buildings in Jerusalem. Jesus stuns them by saying every stone will be torn down. The Romans destroyed the city and temple in AD 70. His words remind us that even the most impressive human works are not permanent.
BSA: thrown down (“destroyed, torn down, cast down”): The picture is total ruin, with no stone left in place.
See also: Mark 13:1-2.
Matthew 24:3
Alone with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, the disciples ask three things: when the temple falls, what sign will mark His coming, and when the age ends. Jesus’ long answer weaves these questions together. He gives them what they need to stay faithful.
BSA: coming (“presence, arrival”): The word means more than a visit. It speaks of the king’s arrival and his lasting presence.
Greek: παρουσία (parousia, G3952) — “presence, arrival.” In the ancient world this word described a ruler’s official arrival in a city. It fits the glorious return of Christ as King.
Matthew 24:4-5
Jesus’ first warning is about deception, not about disasters. Many will claim to be the Christ, or will claim to speak for Him, and will win a following. Knowing Jesus Himself and His word is the protection against being led astray.
BSA: deceives (“leads astray, misleads”): The idea is of being made to wander off the true road.
See also: 1 John 4:1.
Matthew 24:6
Wars and rumors of wars will come, but they are not the signal that history has ended. Jesus tells His followers not to panic. God’s purposes are still unfolding, and the final goal has not yet arrived.
BSA: alarmed (“troubled, frightened”): Jesus wants His people steady and not shaken by bad news.
Matthew 24:7-8
Conflict between peoples, famines and earthquakes are not the end itself. Jesus calls them the beginning of birth pains. Such pains grow stronger and closer together, yet they lead to the birth of something new.
BSA: birth pains (“sorrows, extreme suffering, like childbirth”): The suffering is real, but like labor it points toward a new beginning.
Greek: ὠδίνων (ōdinōn, G5604) — “labor pains.” This is the word for the pangs of childbirth. It hints that the pain has a purpose and an end.
Matthew 24:9
Jesus’ followers will be handed over to suffering and death and will be hated by many peoples. The reason is plain: because of My name. The hatred is aimed at Him, and those who belong to Him share in it.
BSA: My name (“character, authority, who I am”): To suffer for His name is to suffer for who Jesus is.
See also: John 15:18-20.
Matthew 24:10
Pressure will test people, and many will give up their faith. Some will even turn on fellow believers. Hard times do not only come from outside. They can also break up the community of faith.
Greek: σκανδαλισθήσονται (skandalisthēsontai, G4624) — “will be tripped up, will stumble.” The word comes from the trigger of a trap. Many will be caught and tripped into falling away.
Matthew 24:11
False prophets will multiply and lead many people astray. They speak as though for God, but their message is not from Him. Jesus warns again that the greatest danger is often a counterfeit that sounds spiritual.
BSA: false prophets (“claiming to speak for God, but actually fake”): These people pose as God’s voice while speaking their own message.
See also: Matthew 7:15.
Matthew 24:12
As lawlessness spreads, love in many hearts cools down. Living among injustice and cruelty can slowly harden people. Jesus names this danger so that His followers will guard the warmth of their love.
Greek: ἀνομίαν (anomian, G458) — “lawlessness.” It means living as though God’s law does not apply. It is more than a few wrong acts. It is a general disregard for God’s ways.
Matthew 24:13
The promise is for the one who holds on to the end. Endurance shows that faith is real. Jesus does not say the road is easy. He says that staying with Him through it leads to deliverance.
BSA: perseveres (“endures, remains, holds out”): It means staying faithful under pressure rather than escaping it.
Greek: ὑπομείνας (hypomeinas, G5278) — “having remained under.” The word pictures staying put under a heavy load instead of running away. It is steady, patient endurance.
Matthew 24:14
Before the end comes, the good news of God’s kingdom will be preached to every people group as a witness. The suffering described does not stop the message. In God’s hands it can carry the message farther.
BSA: testimony (“witness, evidence”): The gospel is spoken as a witness every nation can hear.
See also: Mark 13:10; Revelation 14:6.
Matthew 24:15
Jesus points to Daniel’s prophecy of a detestable thing set up in the holy place, bringing desolation. Christians have understood this in different ways. Some see it fulfilled in the events of AD 70, some see a still future event, and some see both. All agree it is a sign calling for discernment.
BSA: abomination (“idolatry, detestable thing”): It points to something that defiles what is holy, especially idol-worship.
Greek: βδέλυγμα (bdelygma, G946) — “a detestable, sickening thing.” In the Greek Old Testament this word often describes idols and the pollution they bring.
See also: Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:31.
Matthew 24:16-18
When this sign appears, there is no time to waste. Those in Judea must run to the mountains. The man on the flat roof must not go inside to pack, and the worker in the field must not go back for his cloak. Safety matters more than belongings.
BSA: flee (“run away, escape”): Jesus calls for quick, immediate escape.
Matthew 24:19-20
Jesus feels deep compassion for those who will struggle most, mothers who are pregnant or nursing. He tells His disciples to pray about the timing of the flight. Winter weather and Sabbath restrictions could make escape harder. He cares about the practical details of their rescue.
BSA: Pray (“to worship and ask of God”): Even in crisis, the first response is turning to God.
Matthew 24:21
Jesus describes a time of distress worse than any before it. The sufferings of history are great, yet this will stand out. Whatever its exact timing, the verse shows how seriously God treats the final conflict between evil and His people.
Greek: θλῖψις (thlipsis, G2347) — “pressure, tribulation.” The word means being squeezed under a heavy weight. It names the crushing pressure of persecution and distress.
See also: Daniel 12:1.
Matthew 24:22
God limits the time of suffering. If He did not, no one would survive. He shortens those days out of care for His chosen people. Even in the worst hour, God is in control and watching over His own.
BSA: elect (“chosen ones, select few”): These are people God has called to Himself and protects.
Matthew 24:23-24
Again Jesus warns that false messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will even perform great signs and wonders. Miracles alone do not prove that someone is from God. Believers must test everything by what Jesus has already said.
BSA: signs (“supernatural indications”): Impressive displays can look like proof but may be used to mislead. wonders (“marvels, astonishing events”): These are amazing events meant to win a following.
See also: Deuteronomy 13:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10.
Matthew 24:25-26
Jesus has warned them ahead of time, so they need not be fooled. If someone says the Christ is hidden in the desert or in a secret room, believers should not go out to look. His coming will not be a secret meeting.
BSA: told (“foretold, warned, predicted”): Jesus’ advance warning is meant to protect His people from surprise.
Matthew 24:27
The coming of the Son of Man will be as visible as lightning flashing across the whole sky. No one will need to be told about it, and no one will have to hunt for Him. His return will be open, sudden and unmistakable.
Greek: ἀστραπή (astrapē, G796) — “lightning.” The word pictures a flash that lights up the whole horizon at once. Nothing about it is hidden or local.
Matthew 24:28
This short saying uses a familiar sight: birds of prey gather wherever a body lies. The point seems to be that the signs of the Son of Man’s coming will be just as clear to those who see. Christians read the picture in different ways, but the main idea is that it cannot be missed.
BSA: vultures (“eagles, birds of prey”): The Greek word can mean eagles or other large birds that feed on carcasses.
Matthew 24:29
After that time of distress, the heavens themselves are shaken. The language echoes the prophets, who used it for God’s mighty acts of judgment and salvation. The created order trembles as its Maker comes.
BSA: shaken (“agitated, disturbed”): Even the heavenly powers are unsettled when the Lord appears.
See also: Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 34:4.
Matthew 24:30
The sign of the Son of Man appears and all the tribes of the earth mourn. They see Him coming on the clouds with power and great glory. This is Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man receiving his kingdom, now applied to Jesus.
BSA: mourn (“lament, grieve”): Many will grieve at the sight of the One they ignored or opposed.
See also: Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:7.
Matthew 24:31
With a loud trumpet call, Jesus sends His angels to gather His chosen people from every direction. No one belonging to Him will be lost or overlooked, however far they have scattered. Believers differ on how this fits with other end-time events, but the gathering is certain.
BSA: elect (“chosen ones, select”): These are the people God has set apart as His own, and He brings them together.
See also: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
Matthew 24:32-33
A fig tree putting out tender leaves tells you summer is near. In the same way, when His disciples see these things, they can know that He is near, right at the door. The signs are meant to bring watchfulness and hope, not fear.
BSA: near (“close at hand”): The time is not far off once these signs are seen.
Matthew 24:34
Jesus says this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. Christians read this in several ways: the people alive at that time, the Jewish people as a whole, or the generation that sees the signs begin. All agree that His word is sure.
Greek: γενεά (genea, G1074) — “generation, race.” This word can mean people living at one time, or a people of one kind. That range is part of why Christians read the verse differently.
Matthew 24:35
Everything we see, even heaven and earth, will pass away. Jesus’ words will not. Because of this, His promises are more secure than the ground we stand on. We can safely build our lives on what He has said.
BSA: words (“divine message, idea expressed”): What Jesus says carries the full weight of God’s own message.
See also: Isaiah 40:8.
Matthew 24:36
Nobody knows the day or hour, not the angels and not the Son, but only the Father. Jesus openly accepts the limits of His earthly role. This verse keeps us from guessing dates and invites us to trust the Father’s timing.
BSA: Father (“God, the Creator”): The timing rests with the Father alone.
See also: Acts 1:7.
Matthew 24:37-39
In Noah’s day, people carried on with ordinary life and ignored the warning until the flood came. Eating and marrying are not sins. The problem was living as though God’s warning meant nothing. The Son of Man’s coming will also be sudden.
BSA: oblivious (“completely unaware, without knowledge”): They did not understand, because they were not paying attention.
See also: Luke 17:26-27; Genesis 7:7.
Matthew 24:40-41
Two people are doing ordinary work side by side. Suddenly one is taken and the other left. Christians read these verses in different ways, but all see the same point: there will be an abrupt separation, and nobody can count on having time to prepare.
BSA: taken (“received, removed”): One person is suddenly removed while the other remains.
Matthew 24:42
Because we do not know the day, Jesus tells us to keep watch. This is not about anxious sky-gazing. It is about staying spiritually awake and living as people who expect their Lord.
BSA: keep watch (“stay awake, be vigilant”): Jesus calls for constant alertness, not just occasional attention.
Greek: γρηγορεῖτε (grēgoreite, G1127) — “stay awake, be alert.” The word means keeping alert, like a watchman who must not fall asleep at his post.
Matthew 24:43-44
A homeowner who knew when the thief would come would have stayed awake. Since we do not know when Christ will return, we must be ready all the time. The picture of a thief is about surprise, not about Christ being a wrongdoer.
BSA: ready (“prepared, watchful”): Readiness means being prepared at every hour, not just when we expect Him.
See also: 1 Thessalonians 5:2.
Matthew 24:45-47
Jesus describes the faithful and wise servant. The master has put him in charge of the household, and when the master returns he finds the servant caring for the others. Faithfulness means doing the work we have been given. Such a servant receives great reward.
BSA: faithful (“trustworthy, dependable”): The servant can be counted on whether or not the master is watching. Blessed (“happy, supremely blissful”): A servant found faithful is deeply and truly happy.
Matthew 24:48-49
The wicked servant tells himself the master will be gone a long time, and so he abuses his fellow servants and indulges himself. Doubting that the Lord will return leads to careless, selfish living. What we believe about His coming shapes how we treat others.
BSA: heart (“the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions”): His wrong thinking begins in his inner life before it shows in his actions.
Matthew 24:50-51
The master returns when the servant does not expect him and punishes him severely. Hypocrites pretend to serve while living for themselves. Jesus uses solemn language to show how serious it is to ignore His coming, and to urge us to live faithfully.
BSA: hypocrites (“those who pretend to be righteous, insincere ones”): They look like servants but their hearts are not true.
Greek: διχοτομήσει (dichotomēsei, G1371) — “will cut in two.” It is a strong, harsh word for severe judgment. It shows how seriously Jesus treats unfaithfulness.