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Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
Matthew 24:1 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
  • BSB As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
  • NKJV Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
  • NASB Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.
  • NLT As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus leaves the temple, and his disciples point out its impressive buildings. It sets the scene for his prophecy of the temple's destruction.

Overview

As Jesus departs from the temple, having pronounced its desolation, the disciples admire its grandeur. The contrast between their awe at the magnificent structure and Jesus' coming words is striking. This moment launches the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' major teaching on judgment, his return, and the end of the age.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Mark 13:1–37As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!”
  • Luke 21:5–36As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,
  • Ezek 8:6He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.”
  • Jer 6:8Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.”
  • John 2:20The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”
  • Matt 21:23When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
  • Matt 23:39For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
  • Hos 9:12Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
  • Ezek 11:22–23Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
  • Ezek 10:17–19When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 24:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 24:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.