MAT 24:1-8

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

1And having gone forth from the Temple, Jesus was going away, and his disciples came to him to point out the buildings of the Temple. [24:2] Answering, Jesus said to them: "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, there will by no means be left here stone upon stone that will not be thrown down." [24:3] Now while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying: "Tell us, when will these things be, and what is the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the age?" [24:4] And answering, Jesus said to them: "Take heed lest anyone mislead you. [24:5] For many will come in my name, saying, 'I myself am the Christ,' and they will mislead many. [24:6] You will begin to hear of wars and rumors of wars — see, do not be alarmed; for all things must take place, yet the end is not yet. [24:7] For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. [24:8] But all these things are the beginning of birth pangs."

In the world it was spoken into

In the first century, the Jerusalem Temple was not merely a religious building but the epicenter of Jewish identity, politics, and eschatological hope. Its destruction would have been unthinkable to Jesus’ disciples, who likely saw it as an enduring symbol of God’s presence and covenant. When Jesus predicts its destruction, He challenges this deeply held assumption, evoking imagery of divine judgment akin to prophetic warnings in the Hebrew Scriptures. The Mount of Olives, where Jesus delivers this discourse, was traditionally associated with eschatological events, particularly the coming of the Messiah. The disciples’ question about the 'sign of Your coming' reflects their expectation of a Messianic visitation, a concept tied to the arrival of a king or ruler in Greco-Roman and Jewish thought. The 'consummation of the age' points to the end of the current era and the dawn of God’s kingdom, a theme resonant with Jewish apocalyptic literature. The metaphor of 'birth pains' underscores the inevitability and transformative nature of these events, evoking both suffering and hope.

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How other translations render this

MAT 24:1

KJV: And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
BSB: As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
Koinōnos: And having gone forth from the Temple, Jesus was going away, and his disciples came to him to point out the buildings of the Temple.

MAT 24:2

KJV: And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
BSB: “Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Koinōnos: Answering, Jesus said to them: "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, there will by no means be left here stone upon stone that will not be thrown down.

MAT 24:3

KJV: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
BSB: While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
Koinōnos: Now while he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying: "Tell us, when will these things be, and what is the sign of your coming and of the consummation of the age?

MAT 24:4

KJV: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
BSB: Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
Koinōnos: And answering, Jesus said to them: "Take heed lest anyone mislead you.

MAT 24:5

KJV: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
BSB: For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Koinōnos: For many will come in my name, saying, 'I myself am the Christ,' and they will mislead many.

MAT 24:6

KJV: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
BSB: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
Koinōnos: You will begin to hear of wars and rumors of wars — see, do not be alarmed; for all things must take place, yet the end is not yet.

MAT 24:7

KJV: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
BSB: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Koinōnos: For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

MAT 24:8

KJV: All these are the beginning of sorrows.
BSB: All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Koinōnos: But all these things are the beginning of birth pangs.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MAT 24:3

coming:The word translated 'coming' often referred to the official visit of a king or dignitary, implying a visible and authoritative presence, not just a simple arrival.
of the:The term used here for 'end' or 'consummation' suggests a completion or bringing to a full conclusion, rather than just a stopping point.
of the:The word translated 'age' refers to a distinct period of time with its own characteristics, rather than just a general span of years.

MAT 24:8

of birth pains.:The phrase 'birth pains' refers specifically to the intense and unavoidable pangs of labor during childbirth, emphasizing a period of suffering that precedes a new beginning.