New Living Translation
Matthew 24:39
39People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
Matthew 24:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
- New International Version (NIV)and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Context of Matthew 24:39
37“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
Read all of Matthew 24Matthew 24:39 word by word
καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ἕως ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἦρεν ἅπαντας, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- notοὐou · noG3756
- untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- the floodὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the floodκατακλυσμόςkataklusmos · floodG2627
- cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- tookαἴρωairō · to take upG142
- them allἅπαςhapas · allG537
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- shallεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the comingπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
- of the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Matthew 24:39
- Matthew 13:13That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
- Judges 20:34There were 10,000 elite Israelite troops who advanced against Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that Benjamin didn’t realize the impending disaster.
- Proverbs 23:35And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”
- Proverbs 24:12Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
- Proverbs 29:7The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.
- Isaiah 42:25Therefore, he poured out his fury on them and destroyed them in battle. They were enveloped in flames, but they still refused to understand. They were consumed by fire, but they did not learn their lesson.
- Isaiah 44:18Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
- Luke 19:44They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”
- John 3:20All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.
- Acts 13:41‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’”
- Romans 1:28Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.
- 2 Peter 3:5They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.
Commentaries on Matthew 24:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39And knew not - They considered not - did not lay Noah's warning to heart, till it was too late to profit by it: so shall it be - and so it was in this coming of the Son of man.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39They knew not - That is, they knew not the exact time until it came upon them. So, says he, it shall be when the Son of man shall come. They shall not know “the precise time” until he comes, and then they will be found engaged in the ordinary business of life unconcerned.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-41Verses 29-41 Christ foretells his second coming. It is usual for prophets to speak of things as near and just at hand, to express the greatness and certainty of them. Concerning Christ's second coming, it is foretold that there shall be a great change, in order to the making all things new. Then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds. At his first coming, he was set for a sign that should be spoken against, but at his second coming, a sign…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-41The second coming of Jesus will surprise people, just like the flood of Noah did (Genesis 7). The only way to be ready is to live consistently alert and obedient (compare Luke 17:26–27, 34–35).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 24:39
In the dictionaries
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
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