Matthew 24:20

Matthew 24:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
• New International Version (NIV)Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

Context of Matthew 24:20

18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 19And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! Pray that your flight [from persecution and suffering] will not be in winter, or on a Sabbath [when Jewish laws prohibit travel]. 21For at that time there will be a great tribulation (pressure, distress, oppression), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [again]. 22And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened.

Matthew 24:20 word by word

προσεύχεσθε δὲ ἵνα μὴ γένηται ἡ φυγὴ ὑμῶν χειμῶνος μηδὲ σαββάτῳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• pray yeπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• flightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• flightφυγήphugē · flightG5437
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notμήmē · notG3361
• in the winterχειμώνcheimōn · winterG5494
• neitherμηδέmēde · norG3366
• onἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the sabbath dayσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521

Cross-references for Matthew 24:20

• Exodus 16:29See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you the bread for two days on the sixth day. Let every man stay in his place; no man is to leave his place on the seventh day.”
• Acts 1:12Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day’s journey (less than one mile) away.

Commentaries on Matthew 24:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter - For the hardness of the season, the badness of the roads, the shortness of the days, and the length of the nights, will all be great impediments to your flight. Rabbi Tanchum observes, "that the favor of God was particularly manifested in the destruction of the first temple, in not obliging the Jews to go out in the winter, but in the summer." See the place in Lightfoot. Neither on the Sabbath-day - That…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20But pray ye … - The destruction was certainly coming. It could not be prevented; yet it was right to pray for a mitigation of the circumstances, that it might be as mild as possible. So we know that calamity is before us; sickness, pain, bereavement, and death are in our path; yet, though we know that these things must come upon us, it is right to pray that they may come in as mild a manner as may be consistent with the will of God. We must die, but it is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-28Verses 4-28 The disciples had asked concerning the times, When these things should be? Christ gave them no answer to that; but they had also asked, What shall be the sign? This question he answers fully. The prophecy first respects events near at hand, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the Jewish church and state, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world; but it also looks to the general judgment; and toward…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20The Jewish historian Josephus records that the Jordan River swells in winter, making it harder to cross (see War 4.7.5). Muddy roads also made travel difficult in winter. Jews usually did not travel on the Sabbath, so that they could rest as God commanded (see Genesis 2:1–3; Exodus 20:8–11; 23:12; 31:12–17; Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:12–15; Jeremiah 17:19–27).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 24:20

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Jesus Continued
• Sabbath

In the dictionaries

• Deceive
• Desolation
• Elect
• Flight
• Goodman
• Learn
• Lo
• Matthew, Gospel according to
• Olves, Mount of
• Watch

Commentaries on Matthew 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings