Focused Passage

Matthew 24:36-44

The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness

Matthew 24 moves from Jesus leaving the temple to predicting its destruction, from the disciples’ question to warnings against deception, from global upheaval to persecution and gospel mission, from the abomination of desolation to urgent flight and great distress, from false messianic claims to the visible coming of the Son of Man, from fig tree signs to the certainty of Jesus’ words, from unknown timing to Noah-like suddenness, and finally from watchfulness to faithful household stewardship.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.

39And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.

43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 36

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionNo oneοὐδεὶςG3762Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularknowsοἶδενG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularaboutΠερὶG4012PrepositionthatἐκείνηςG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingulardayἡμέραςG2250Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[or]καὶG2532ConjunctionhourὥραςG5610Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularnot evenοὐδὲG3761AdverbtheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralangelsἄγγελοιG32Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Pluralin heavenοὐρανῶνG3772Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralnorοὐδὲG3761ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularSonΥἱόςG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularbutεἰG1487Conjunction. . .μὴG3361AdverbonlyμόνοςG3441Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularFatherΠατὴρG3962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • BYZ and TR do not include nor the Son.
Verse 37

Original words

-γὰρG1063ConjunctionAs [it was]ὥσπερG5618Adverbin theαἱG3588Article - Nominative Feminine PluraldaysἡμέραιG2250Noun - Nominative Feminine PluralofτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularNoahΝῶεG3575Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularsoοὕτωςG3779Adverbwill it beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularat theG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularcomingπαρουσίαG3952Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularSonΥἱοῦG5207Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof ManἀνθρώπουG444Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 38

Original words

ForγὰρG1063Conjunction-ὡςG5613AdverbinἐνG1722Preposition-ἐκείναιςG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine PluraltheταῖςG3588Article - Dative Feminine PluraldaysἡμέραιςG2250Noun - Dative Feminine PluralbeforeπρὸG4253Preposition-ταῖςG3588Article - Dative Feminine PluraltheτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularfloodκατακλυσμοῦG2627Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[people] wereἦσανG1510Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluraleatingτρώγοντεςG5176Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctiondrinkingπίνοντεςG4095Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralmarryingγαμοῦντεςG1060Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunctiongiving in marriageγαμίζοντεςG1061Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Pluralup toἄχριG891PrepositiontheἧςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine SingulardayἡμέραςG2250Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularNoahΝῶεG3575Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularenteredεἰσῆλθενG1525Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .εἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingulararkκιβωτόνG2787Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 39

Original words

AndκαὶG2532ConjunctionvvvοὐκG3756Adverbthey were obliviousἔγνωσανG1097Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluraluntilἕωςG2193ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularfloodκατακλυσμὸςG2627Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularcameἦλθενG2064Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionswept them all awayἦρενG142Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .ἅπανταςG537Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionSoοὕτωςG3779Adverbwill it beἔσταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular[at] theG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularcomingπαρουσίαG3952Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularSonΥἱοῦG5207Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof ManἀνθρώπουG444Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 40

Original words

-τότεG5119AdverbTwo [men]δύοG1417Adjective - Nominative Masculine Pluralwill beἔσονταιG1510Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person PluralinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularfieldἀγρῷG68Noun - Dative Masculine SingularoneεἷςG1520Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularwill be takenπαραλαμβάνεταιG3880Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction[the other]εἷςG1520Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularleftἀφίεταιG863Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 41

Original words

Two [women]δύοG1417Adjective - Nominative Feminine Pluralwill be grindingἀλήθουσαιG229Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine PluralatἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularmillμύλῳG3458Noun - Dative Masculine SingularoneμίαG1520Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singularwill be takenπαραλαμβάνεταιG3880Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction[the other]μίαG1520Adjective - Nominative Feminine SingularleftἀφίεταιG863Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 42

Original words

ThereforeοὖνG3767Conjunctionkeep watchΓρηγορεῖτεG1127Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralbecauseὅτιG3754ConjunctionvvvοὐκG3756Adverbyou do not knowοἴδατεG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural[the] dayἡμέρᾳG2250Noun - Dative Feminine Singularon whichποίᾳG4169Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine SingularyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularLordκύριοςG2962Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwill comeἔρχεταιG2064Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 43

Original words

ButδὲG1161ConjunctionunderstandγινώσκετεG1097Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralthisἐκεῖνοG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionIfεἰG1487ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularhomeownerοἰκοδεσπότηςG3617Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularhad knownᾔδειG1492Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularin whichποίᾳG4169Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singularwatch of the nightφυλακῇG5438Noun - Dative Feminine SingulartheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularthiefκλέπτηςG2812Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwas comingἔρχεταιG2064Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularvvvἂνG302Particlehe would have kept watchἐγρηγόρησενG1127Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionvvvἂνG302Particle{would} notοὐκG3756Adverbhave letεἴασενG1439Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularhisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularhouseοἰκίανG3614Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularbe broken intoδιορυχθῆναιG1358Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Verse 44

Original words

For this reasonδιὰG1223Preposition. . .τοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularyouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person PluralalsoκαὶG2532Conjunctionmust beγίνεσθεG1096Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralreadyἕτοιμοιG2092Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralbecauseὅτιG3754ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularSonΥἱὸςG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof ManἀνθρώπουG444Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularwill comeἔρχεταιG2064Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singularat anG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Feminine SingularhourὥρᾳG5610Noun - Dative Feminine SingularvvvοὐG3756Adverbyou do not expectδοκεῖτεG1380Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.