New International Version
Matthew 10:23
23When 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
Context of Matthew 10:23
21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 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. 24“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more 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 2:13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
- Matthew 4:12When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.
- Matthew 12:14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
- Luke 4:29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.
- John 7:1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.
- John 10:39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
- John 11:53So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
- Acts 8:1And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 9:24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
- Acts 13:50But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
- Acts 14:6But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country,
- Acts 17:10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
- Acts 20:1When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.
- Matthew 16:28“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
- Matthew 24:27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Matthew 25:13“Therefore keep watch, 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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