New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Matthew 24
1
Jesus left the temple. He was walking away when his disciples came up to him. They wanted to call his attention to the temple buildings.
Reference
2
"Do you see all these things?" Jesus asked. "What I'm about to tell you is true. Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down."
Reference
3
Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives. There the disciples came to him in private. "Tell us," they said. "When will this happen? And what will be the sign of your coming? What will be the sign of the end?"
Reference
5
Many will come in my name. They will claim, 'I am the Christ!' They will fool many people.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:11
Jeremiah 14:14
Jeremiah 23:25
Revelation 13:8
Jeremiah 23:21
John 5:43
References Christ
Matthew 24:24
1 John 2:18
6
"You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don't be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isn't here.
Reference
7
Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. People will go hungry. There will be earthquakes in many places.
Reference
Kingdom
Isaiah 19:2
Parallel theme
Luke 21:11
Revelation 6:8
Acts 11:28
2 Chronicles 15:6
Revelation 6:12
Hebrews 12:27
Ezekiel 21:27
Ezekiel 14:21
Resurrection
Zechariah 14:13
9
"Then people will hand you over to be treated badly and killed. All nations will hate you because of me.
Reference
10
At that time, many will turn away from their faith. They will hate each other. They will hand each other over to their enemies.
Reference
11
Many false prophets will appear. They will fool many people.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:5
1 Timothy 4:1
1 John 2:18
Jude 1:4
Prophecy
Matthew 7:15
Revelation 19:20
2 Peter 2:1
1 John 4:1
Resurrection
Matthew 24:24
Mark 13:22
13
But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 2:10
Hebrews 10:39
Hebrews 3:14
Romans 2:7
1 Corinthians 1:8
Luke 8:15
Matthew 24:6
Hebrews 3:6
Salvation
Matthew 10:22
Mark 13:13
14
This good news of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world. It will be a witness to all nations. Then the end will come.
Reference
Kingdom
Matthew 10:7
Matthew 9:35
Matthew 4:23
Parallel theme
Revelation 14:6
Romans 10:18
Luke 24:47
Colossians 1:23
Colossians 1:6
Matthew 24:6
Ezekiel 7:10
15
"The prophet Daniel spoke about 'the hated thing that destroys.'--(Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) Someday you will see it standing in the holy place. The reader should understand this.
Reference
Parallel theme
Daniel 9:27
Daniel 12:11
Luke 21:20
Daniel 11:31
Luke 19:43
Daniel 9:23
Hebrews 2:1
Daniel 9:25
Prophecy
Mark 13:14
Revelation 1:3
17
No one on the roof should go down into his house to take anything out.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:27
Acts 10:9
Luke 12:3
Matthew 6:25
Deuteronomy 22:8
Luke 5:19
1 Samuel 9:25
18
No one in the field should go back to get his coat.
20
Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on the Sabbath day.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 16:29
21
There will be terrible suffering in those days. It will be worse than any other from the beginning of the world until now. And there will never be anything like it again.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joel 2:2
Malachi 4:1
Luke 21:24
Matthew 24:29
Joel 1:2
Sin
Daniel 12:1
1 Thessalonians 2:16
22
If the time had not been cut short, no one would live. But because of God's chosen people, it will be shortened.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:24
Matthew 24:31
Romans 9:11
Matthew 22:14
Zechariah 14:2
Luke 18:7
Zechariah 13:8
Isaiah 6:13
Salvation
Mark 13:20
2 Timothy 2:10
23
"At that time someone may say to you, 'Look! Here is the Christ!' Or, 'There he is!' Do not believe it.
Reference
24
False Christs and false prophets will appear. They will do great signs and miracles. They will try to fool God's chosen people if possible.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 3:17
1 John 5:18
John 6:37
Prophecy
Matthew 7:15
Revelation 19:20
References Christ
Matthew 24:5
Resurrection
Mark 13:22
Matthew 24:11
Deuteronomy 13:1
John 6:39
26
"So if anyone tells you, 'He is far out in the desert,' do not go out there. Or if anyone says, 'He is deep inside the house,' do not believe it.
27
Lightning that comes from the east can be seen in the west. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes.
Reference
28
The vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 17:37
29
"Right after the terrible suffering of those days, " 'The sun will be darkened. The moon will not shine. The stars will fall from the sky. The heavenly bodies will be shaken.' --(Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)
Reference
Darkness
Amos 8:9
Joel 3:15
Revelation 8:12
Joel 2:10
Light
Isaiah 13:10
Amos 5:20
Parallel theme
Isaiah 24:23
Isaiah 34:4
2 Peter 3:10
30
"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the nations on earth will be sad. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky. He will come with power and great glory.
Reference
31
He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call. They will gather his chosen people from all four directions. They will bring them from one end of the heavens to the other.
Reference
32
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33
In the same way, when you see all those things happening, you know that the end is near. It is right at the door.
Reference
34
What I'm about to tell you is true. The people living at that time will certainly not pass away until all those things have happened.
Reference
35
Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 23:19
Isaiah 51:6
Isaiah 54:10
Psalm 89:34
Titus 1:2
Word
Isaiah 40:8
1 Peter 1:25
Isaiah 55:11
Matthew 5:18
Proverbs 30:5
36
"No one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.
Reference
37
"Remember how it was in the days of Noah. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes.
Reference
38
"In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking. They were getting married. They were giving their daughters to be married. They did all those things right up to the day Noah entered the ark.
Reference
39
They knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes.
Reference
40
"Two men will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Peter 2:5
43
You must understand something. Suppose the owner of the house knew what time of night the robber was coming. Then he would have kept watch. He would not have let his house be broken into.
Reference
44
So you also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don't expect him.
Reference
45
"Suppose a master puts one of his servants in charge of the other servants in his house. The servant's job is to give them their food at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise servant for this.
Reference
Creation
Acts 20:28
Faith
Matthew 25:21
Matthew 25:23
Hebrews 3:5
2 Timothy 2:2
1 Timothy 1:12
Revelation 2:13
Luke 19:17
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:16
Matthew 13:52
46
It will be good for the servant if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns.
Reference
47
What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will put that servant in charge of everything he owns.
Reference
Good
Matthew 25:23
Matthew 25:21
Luke 19:17
Parallel theme
Luke 12:37
Luke 12:44
Revelation 21:7
Revelation 3:21
2 Timothy 2:12
48
"But suppose that servant is evil. Suppose he says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time.'
Reference
Evil
Matthew 18:32
Mark 7:21
John 13:2
Deuteronomy 9:4
Parallel theme
Acts 5:3
References Lord
Isaiah 32:6
Luke 12:45
49
Suppose he begins to beat the other servants. And suppose he eats and drinks with those who drink too much.
Reference
50
The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn't expect him. He will return at an hour the servant does not know.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 3:3
Chapter Summary
Matthew 24 begins with Jesus leaving the Jerusalem Temple, where His disciples admire the magnificent buildings, but Jesus shocks them by predicting that the entire Temple complex will eventually be destroyed, a prophecy historically associated with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in AD 70.
The disciples then ask about the timing of these events and about the sign of Jesus' coming and the end of the age, leading Jesus into one of the most important prophetic teachings in the Gospels.
Jesus first warns them about deception, explaining that false messiahs and false prophets will appear and that even impressive signs may be used to mislead people, making spiritual discernment more important than excitement about extraordinary claims.
He then describes wars, political conflict, famines, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, false teaching, increasing lawlessness, and declining love, while emphasizing that these events should not automatically be interpreted as proof that the final moment has arrived.
Instead, Jesus tells His followers to persevere, promising that those who remain faithful to the end will be saved, while also declaring that the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed among the nations before the end comes.
Jesus then describes a period of severe crisis involving Judea and refers to the abomination of desolation, using imagery connected with the prophetic book of Daniel and warning those in Judea to flee immediately when the crisis becomes apparent.
The warning emphasizes urgency because the coming suffering will be extraordinarily severe, while Jesus simultaneously assures His followers that God will limit the duration of the suffering for the sake of His chosen people.
Jesus then turns toward His future coming, warning His disciples not to believe claims that the Messiah has secretly appeared in a particular location because His coming will be unmistakable, comparable to lightning that suddenly illuminates the entire sky.
The cosmic imagery of a darkened sun and moon, falling stars, and shaken heavenly powers communicates the enormous significance of the Son of Man's coming, while the gathering of God's chosen people from every direction presents a picture of universal divine action.
Jesus uses the fig tree as a practical illustration, explaining that just as people recognize the approach of summer by observing the tree's changing condition, His followers should pay attention to significant developments without attempting to control the timetable.
He then makes a particularly important statement that no one knows the exact day or hour, establishing that the correct response to prophecy is not date-setting but faithful readiness.
The example of Noah reinforces this lesson because ordinary life continued until judgment arrived, demonstrating that the apparent normality of everyday life does not guarantee that people are spiritually prepared.
Jesus therefore repeatedly commands His followers to stay awake and be ready, comparing His coming to a thief arriving unexpectedly and emphasizing that people cannot know precisely when the event will occur.
The final section gives the practical meaning of readiness through the contrast between a faithful servant and an evil servant: the faithful servant continues serving responsibly while waiting for the master's return, whereas the evil servant assumes the master is delayed and therefore abuses others and abandons his responsibilities.
The chapter's central message is that Jesus' followers should not respond to prophecy with fear, speculation, or date-setting, but with discernment, perseverance, faithful service, spiritual alertness, and confidence in the reliability of Jesus' words.
The chapter ultimately teaches that although history will contain suffering, deception, persecution, upheaval, and events whose full meaning may not always be immediately clear, God's people are called to remain faithful because the timing of Christ's coming is unknown, His words are completely trustworthy, and genuine readiness is demonstrated by continuing to live faithfully while waiting for Him.
The disciples then ask about the timing of these events and about the sign of Jesus' coming and the end of the age, leading Jesus into one of the most important prophetic teachings in the Gospels.
Jesus first warns them about deception, explaining that false messiahs and false prophets will appear and that even impressive signs may be used to mislead people, making spiritual discernment more important than excitement about extraordinary claims.
He then describes wars, political conflict, famines, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, false teaching, increasing lawlessness, and declining love, while emphasizing that these events should not automatically be interpreted as proof that the final moment has arrived.
Instead, Jesus tells His followers to persevere, promising that those who remain faithful to the end will be saved, while also declaring that the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed among the nations before the end comes.
Jesus then describes a period of severe crisis involving Judea and refers to the abomination of desolation, using imagery connected with the prophetic book of Daniel and warning those in Judea to flee immediately when the crisis becomes apparent.
The warning emphasizes urgency because the coming suffering will be extraordinarily severe, while Jesus simultaneously assures His followers that God will limit the duration of the suffering for the sake of His chosen people.
Jesus then turns toward His future coming, warning His disciples not to believe claims that the Messiah has secretly appeared in a particular location because His coming will be unmistakable, comparable to lightning that suddenly illuminates the entire sky.
The cosmic imagery of a darkened sun and moon, falling stars, and shaken heavenly powers communicates the enormous significance of the Son of Man's coming, while the gathering of God's chosen people from every direction presents a picture of universal divine action.
Jesus uses the fig tree as a practical illustration, explaining that just as people recognize the approach of summer by observing the tree's changing condition, His followers should pay attention to significant developments without attempting to control the timetable.
He then makes a particularly important statement that no one knows the exact day or hour, establishing that the correct response to prophecy is not date-setting but faithful readiness.
The example of Noah reinforces this lesson because ordinary life continued until judgment arrived, demonstrating that the apparent normality of everyday life does not guarantee that people are spiritually prepared.
Jesus therefore repeatedly commands His followers to stay awake and be ready, comparing His coming to a thief arriving unexpectedly and emphasizing that people cannot know precisely when the event will occur.
The final section gives the practical meaning of readiness through the contrast between a faithful servant and an evil servant: the faithful servant continues serving responsibly while waiting for the master's return, whereas the evil servant assumes the master is delayed and therefore abuses others and abandons his responsibilities.
The chapter's central message is that Jesus' followers should not respond to prophecy with fear, speculation, or date-setting, but with discernment, perseverance, faithful service, spiritual alertness, and confidence in the reliability of Jesus' words.
The chapter ultimately teaches that although history will contain suffering, deception, persecution, upheaval, and events whose full meaning may not always be immediately clear, God's people are called to remain faithful because the timing of Christ's coming is unknown, His words are completely trustworthy, and genuine readiness is demonstrated by continuing to live faithfully while waiting for Him.