Matthew 24:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

NIV: At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

NASB: And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.

CSB: Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another.

NLT: And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.

KJV: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

NKJV: And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

In response to a question about signs of the end times, Jesus has begun to describe what will happen to them after He is gone (John 16:5–7). His followers will be persecuted, put to death, and hated because of their association with Him (Matthew 24:9).

Another notable part of this series of events will be that many who once claimed to be followers of Jesus will no longer do so. Their commitment to Christ will be revealed as weak, since they are unwilling to pay the high cost which comes with it. Some will even deceive and turn traitor to former friends, perhaps to escape persecution. Though they may once have seemed to love Christians, such people will act in hate.

As with other statements in this passage, there is uncertainty about what exact time frame Jesus has in mind. The closing remark of the passage, however, seems to suggest this a depiction of the world immediately before Jesus' second coming (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 19:11–15).

Matthew 24:1–14 follows Jesus and the disciples out of the temple. This comes after His devastating criticism of the scribes and Pharisees in chapter 23. Christ predicts a moment when the temple will be destroyed without one stone left on another. Later, His disciples ask for more information about these future events. Jesus describes a season in which the world will be in turmoil but that alone will not be proof that the end has come. His disciples will be persecuted, killed, and hated for His name's sake. False prophets will rise and some with them will fall away from the faith.

Jesus makes a dire prediction about the destruction of the temple. Immediately after this, while seated on the Mount of Olives, Jesus responds to a question from the disciples. They ask when judgment will come and what signs will signal His return. Christ describes a season of unimaginable world turmoil and persecution. He points to a specific moment of defilement of the temple, at which point people should run for their lives. Jesus speaks of world-threatening tribulation which will be cut short right before He returns as King and Judge. Since nobody can possibly know when He will return, His followers must live in readiness.

Jesus has just left the temple area, after delivering a blistering criticism of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). After predicting that the temple would be destroyed, He answers their questions about the end times. He speaks of a period when He will be gone from earth and they will be persecuted and killed. The world will be in turmoil, but the gospel will be preached everywhere. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus' return will be completed, so his followers should constantly be prepared. Jesus continues to teach on these themes in the next chapter.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/27/2024 3:05:43 AM