As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Parallel translations
- KJV And as he sat upon 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?
- BSB While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
- NKJV Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
- NASB And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
- NLT Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”
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
On the Mount of Olives the disciples ask when these things will happen and what will signal his coming and the end of the age. It frames the discourse that follows.
Overview
The disciples' questions blend the near event of the temple's fall with the distant events of Christ's return and the end of the age. Jesus' answer accordingly addresses both, which is why faithful interpreters differ over how its parts apply to AD 70 and to the final consummation. The passage calls disciples to readiness and faithfulness amid history's unfolding.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Mark 13:3–4As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
- Acts 1:7He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.
- 1 Th 5:1–11But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.
- Matt 13:49So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
- Matt 24:37“As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Dan 12:6–8One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
- Matt 13:39–40The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
- Matt 24:32–33“Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.
- Luke 21:7They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
- Matt 21:1When they came near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
- Heb 9:26or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
- Matt 24:39and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Matt 28:20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
- Matt 24:27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Matt 24:43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
- John 21:21–22Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
- Matt 17:19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”
- Matt 13:36Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”
- Matt 15:12Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?”
- Matt 13:10–11The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
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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 24:3 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
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