New English Translation
Matthew 10:23
23Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 22And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24“A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. 25It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!
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 gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”
- Matthew 4:12Now when Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, he went into Galilee.
- Matthew 12:14But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.
- Luke 4:29They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
- John 7:1After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He stayed out of Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him.
- John 10:39Then they attempted again to seize him, but he escaped their clutches.
- John 11:53So from that day they planned together to kill him.
- Acts 8:1And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 9:24but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him.
- Acts 13:50But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region.
- Acts 14:6Paul and Barnabas learned about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region.
- Acts 17:10The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
- Acts 20:1After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left to go to Macedonia.
- Matthew 16:28I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
- Matthew 24:27For just like the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.
- Matthew 25:13Therefore stay alert, because you do not 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
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