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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

43 But 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.

44 For 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

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction No one οὐδεὶς G3762 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular knows οἶδεν G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular about Περὶ G4012 Preposition that ἐκείνης G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular day ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [or] καὶ G2532 Conjunction hour ὥρας G5610 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular not even οὐδὲ G3761 Adverb the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural angels ἄγγελοι G32 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural in heaven οὐρανῶν G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural nor οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Son Υἱός G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular but εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb only μόνος G3441 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Father Πατὴρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction As [it was] ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb in the αἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Plural days ἡμέραι G2250 Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural of τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Noah Νῶε G3575 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular so οὕτως G3779 Adverb will it be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular at the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular coming παρουσία G3952 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Son Υἱοῦ G5207 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Man ἀνθρώπου G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 38

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction - ὡς G5613 Adverb in ἐν G1722 Preposition - ἐκείναις G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Plural the ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural days ἡμέραις G2250 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural before πρὸ G4253 Preposition - ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular flood κατακλυσμοῦ G2627 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [people] were ἦσαν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural eating τρώγοντες G5176 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction drinking πίνοντες G4095 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural marrying γαμοῦντες G1060 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction giving in marriage γαμίζοντες G1061 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural up to ἄχρι G891 Preposition the ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular day ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Noah Νῶε G3575 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular entered εἰσῆλθεν G1525 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular ark κιβωτόν G2787 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 39

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb they were oblivious ἔγνωσαν G1097 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural until ἕως G2193 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular flood κατακλυσμὸς G2627 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular came ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction swept them all away ἦρεν G142 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἅπαντας G537 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction So οὕτως G3779 Adverb will it be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular [at] the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular coming παρουσία G3952 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Son Υἱοῦ G5207 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Man ἀνθρώπου G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 40

Original words

- τότε G5119 Adverb Two [men] δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural will be ἔσονται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular field ἀγρῷ G68 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular one εἷς G1520 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular will be taken παραλαμβάνεται G3880 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the other] εἷς G1520 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular left ἀφίεται G863 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 41

Original words

Two [women] δύο G1417 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural will be grinding ἀλήθουσαι G229 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Plural at ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular mill μύλῳ G3458 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular one μία G1520 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular will be taken παραλαμβάνεται G3880 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the other] μία G1520 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular left ἀφίεται G863 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 42

Original words

Therefore οὖν G3767 Conjunction keep watch Γρηγορεῖτε G1127 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb you do not know οἴδατε G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural [the] day ἡμέρᾳ G2250 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular on which ποίᾳ G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Lord κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular will come ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 43

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction understand γινώσκετε G1097 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural this ἐκεῖνο G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction If εἰ G1487 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular homeowner οἰκοδεσπότης G3617 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular had known ᾔδει G1492 Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular in which ποίᾳ G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular watch of the night φυλακῇ G5438 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular thief κλέπτης G2812 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was coming ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular vvv ἂν G302 Particle he would have kept watch ἐγρηγόρησεν G1127 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv ἂν G302 Particle {would} not οὐκ G3756 Adverb have let εἴασεν G1439 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular house οἰκίαν G3614 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular be broken into διορυχθῆναι G1358 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Verse 44

Original words

For this reason διὰ G1223 Preposition . . . τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular you ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural also καὶ G2532 Conjunction must be γίνεσθε G1096 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural ready ἕτοιμοι G2092 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Son Υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Man ἀνθρώπου G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular will come ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular at an G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular hour ὥρᾳ G5610 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb you do not expect δοκεῖτε G1380 Verb - 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.