Matthew – Chapter 24

New Testament51 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple." — so begins Matthew 24. The chapter centers on Noah and Daniel. Across its 51 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and God's kingdom and kingship. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2And he answering, said to them: Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone that shall not be destroyed.

3And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the world?

4And Jesus answering, said to them: Take heed that no man seduce you.

5For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ. And they will seduce many.

6And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be not troubled. For these things must come to pass: but the end is not yet.

7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And there shall be pestilences and famines and earthquakes in places.

8Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows.

9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall put you to death: and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

10And then shall many be scandalized and shall betray one another and shall hate one another.

11And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many.

12And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold.

13But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.

14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations: and then shall the consummation come.

15When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand.

16Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains:

17And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat.

19And woe to them that are with child and that give suck in those days.

20But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath.

21For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be.

22And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.

23Then if any man shall say to you, Lo here is Christ, or there: do not believe him.

24For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.

25Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.

26If therefore they shall say to you, Behold he is in the desert: go ye not out. Behold he is in the closets: believe it not.

27For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be.

28Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.

29And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved.

30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.

31And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.

32And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.

33So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors.

34Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.

35Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass.

36But of that day and hour no one knoweth: no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone.

37And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38For, as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark:

39And they knew not till the flood came and took them all away: so also shall the coming of the Son of man be.

40Then two shall be in the field. One shall be taken and one shall be left.

41Two women shall be grinding at the mill. One shall be taken and one shall be left.

42Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come.

43But this know ye, that, if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open.

44Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.

45Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season?

46Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.

47Amen I say to you: he shall place him over all his goods.

48But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:

49And shall begin to strike his fellow servants and shall eat and drink with drunkards:

50The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not and at an hour that he knoweth not:

51And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Important Verses in Matthew 24

And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Matthew 24:1

And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved.

Matthew 24:29

Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season?

Matthew 24:45

But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:

Matthew 24:48

Historical Context

Matthew belongs to the New Testament and was composed for jewish Christians, shown that Jesus fulfills the Scriptures of Israel. Chapter 24 of 28 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a genealogical record linking earlier promises to later generations with 51 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Noah and Daniel, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple." The final verse reads: "And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. " Read against its original backdrop, Matthew wrote for Jewish Christians, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets—the Son of David, the new Moses who delivers the Sermon on the Mount. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Matthew around About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians.

Who Wrote It

The Apostle Matthew (Levi), the former tax collector, according to unanimous early tradition

When It Was Written

About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians

Catholic Commentary

The list of names is not mere record-keeping: it anchors the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish hopes in real families and real history. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

Catholic exegesis reads Matthew 24 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Matthew shows Christ as the new Moses and true Israel (CIC 577). St. Gregory the Great and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 265).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • Suffering, united to Christ, becomes a path of purification and deeper trust in God.

People in This Chapter

Noah2 mentionsDaniel1 mention

Reflection for Today

Catholic exegesis approaches Matthew Chapter 24 with reverence, seeking both the literal sense and the spiritual meaning ordered to Christ.

Catholic theology recognizes that Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish hopes is not an abstract idea but a reality encountered in prayer, sacraments, and charity. This chapter contributes to that vision by stressing the call to holiness in ordinary life.

May your reading of Matthew Chapter 24 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Matthew Chapter 24 about?

Matthew 24 contains 51 verses. It opens with "And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple." and closes with "And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ". The book as a whole is gospel.

What is a key verse in Matthew 24?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Matthew Chapter 24?

This chapter mentions Noah, Daniel.

Who wrote Matthew and when?

The Apostle Matthew (Levi), the former tax collector, according to unanimous early tradition. About AD 70-85; early tradition places a first version among Jewish Christians.

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