Devine Scripture

Matthew 24:2

What does Matthew 24:2 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 24:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 24:2 means

Jesus responds to His disciples' admiration of the temple by solemnly declaring that its impressive buildings will be utterly destroyed, with not a single stone left upon another. This prophecy was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Roman armies besieged Jerusalem and leveled the temple. It served as a stark warning about the impermanence of even the most sacred human-made institutions, contrasting with the enduring nature of God's kingdom and His word. This destruction was a consequence of Israel's rejection of their Messiah.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

But he answered and 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.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

But he answered and 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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But he, answering, said to them, See you not all these things? truly I say to you that here there will not be one stone resting on another, which will not be pulled down.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and Jesus said to them, `Do ye not see all these? verily I say to you, There may not be left here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And 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.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, Not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down.

Context

This verse provides the immediate and shocking catalyst for the disciples' questions in verse 3. Jesus' prophecy of the temple's complete destruction is a direct response to their wonder at its structures, dramatically shifting their perspective from the present glory to a future of desolation and provoking their inquiries about the end times.

v.1And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

v.2This passage

v.3And as he sat on 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?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Micah 3:12

    Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

  • Daniel 9:26

    And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined.

  • 1 Kings 9:7

    then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

  • Luke 19:44

    and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

  • 2 Peter 3:11

    Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,

  • Jeremiah 26:18

    Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore Matthew 24

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Matthew 24.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Matthew 24:2.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary