God’s Word Translation
Matthew 10:23
23So when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. I can guarantee this truth: Before you have gone through every city in Israel, the Son of Man will come.
Matthew 10:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
- New International Version (NIV)When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Context of Matthew 10:23
21“Brother will hand over brother to death; a father will hand over his child. Children will rebel against their parents and kill them. 22Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. But the person who patiently endures to the end will be saved. So when they persecute you in one city, flee to another. I can guarantee this truth: Before you have gone through every city in Israel, the Son of Man will come. 24“A student is not better than his teacher. Nor is a slave better than his owner. 25It is enough for a student to become like his teacher and a slave like his owner. If they have called the owner of the house Beelzebul, they will certainly call the family members the same name.
Read all of Matthew 10Matthew 10:23 word by word
Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν· οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- they persecuteδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
- youσύsu · youG4771
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- cityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- flee yeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- anotherἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Ye shallτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
- notοὐou · noG3756
- notμήmē · notG3361
- of IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
- tillἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- tillἄνan · ifG302
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- be comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
Cross-references for Matthew 10:23
- Matthew 2:13After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said to him, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him.”
- Matthew 4:12When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he went back to Galilee.
- Matthew 12:14The Pharisees left and plotted to kill Jesus.
- Luke 4:29Their city was built on a hill with a cliff. So they got up, forced Jesus out of the city, and led him to the cliff. They intended to throw him off of it.
- John 7:1Jesus later traveled throughout Galilee. He didn’t want to travel in Judea because Jews there wanted to kill him.
- John 10:39The Jews tried to arrest Jesus again, but he got away from them.
- John 11:53From that day on, the Jewish council planned to kill Jesus.
- Acts 8:1Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 9:24but Saul was told about their plot. They were watching the city gates day and night in order to murder him.
- Acts 13:50But Jews stirred up devout women of high social standing and the officials of the city. These people started to persecute Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their territory.
- Acts 14:6So they escaped to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding territory.
- Acts 17:10Immediately when night came, the believers sent Paul and Silas to the city of Berea. When Paul and Silas arrived in the city of Berea, they entered the synagogue.
- Acts 20:1When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia.
- Matthew 16:28I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
- Matthew 24:27The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west.
- Matthew 25:13“So stay awake, because you don’t know the day or the hour.
Commentaries on Matthew 10:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23But when they persecute you - It is prudence and humility (when charity or righteousness obliges us not to the contrary) to avoid persecution. To deprive those who are disposed to do evil of the opportunities of doing it; to convey the grace which they despise to others; to accomplish God's designs of justice on the former, and of mercy on the latter, are consequences of the flight of a persecuted preacher. This flight is a precept to those who are highly…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23When they persecute - The apostles were not permitted to “throw away” their lives. Where they could preserve them without denying their Lord, they were to do it. Yet all the commands of Christ, as well as their conduct, show that they were rather to lay down their lives than deny their Saviour. We are to preserve our lives by all proper means, but we are rather to die than save ourselves by doing anything wrong. Ye shall not have gone over the cities of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-42Verses 16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23before the Son of Man comes: Scholars disagree on whether this refers to Christ's second coming for his church or an earlier judgment, specifically the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (see 16:28). you will not reach: Jesus might mean “before you have fled through all the towns” or “before you have spread the gospel in all the towns.” The focus on persecution in the context (see 10:17–39) supports the first idea. It suggests the towns were like cities of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another--"into the other." This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord Himself once and again, had special reference to the brief opportunities which Israel was to have of "knowing the time of His visitations." for verily I say unto you--what will startle you, but at the same time show you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it. Ye shall not…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 10:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 10
- 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
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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