Matthew 24:42

Contemporary English Version

So be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day

King James Version (1611)
Watch therfore, for ye know not what houre your Lord doth come.

King James Version
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

English Standard Version
Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

New Century Version
"So always be ready, because you don't know the day your Lord will come.

Amplified Bible
"So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Therefore stay awake, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.

Complete Jewish Bible
So stay alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come.

Darby Translation
Watch therefore, for ye know not in what hour your Lord comes.

Easy-to-Read Version
"So always be ready. You don't know the day your Lord will come.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Watch therefore: for ye knowe not what houre your master will come.

George Lamsa Translation
Be alert, therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come.

Good News Translation
Watch out, then, because you do not know what day your Lord will come.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know what day your Lord is coming!

Literal Translation
Watch, then, for you do not know in what hour your Lord comes.

American Standard Version
Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.

Bible in Basic English
Be watching, then! for you have no knowledge on what day your Lord will come.

Hebrew Names Version
Watch therefore, for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes.

International Standard Version
"So keep on watching, because you don't know on what day your Lord is coming.Mark 13:33; Luke 21:36;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Be wakeful therefore, because ye know not in what hour cometh your Lord.

Murdock Translation
Watch, therefore, since ye know not at what hour your Lord cometh.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Watch therfore, for ye knowe not what houre your Lorde doth come.

English Revised Version
Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.

World English Bible
Watch therefore, for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh.

Weymouth's New Testament
Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor wake ye, for ye witen not in what our the Lord schal come.

Update Bible Version
Watch therefore: for you don't know on what day your Lord comes.

Webster's Bible Translation
Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh.

New English Translation
"Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

New King James Version
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour [fn] your Lord is coming.

New Living Translation
"So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming.

New Life Bible
"Because of this, watch! You do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

New Revised Standard
Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be watching, therefore, for ye know not, on what manner of day, your Lord is coming.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come.

Revised Standard Version
Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wake therfore because ye knowe not what houre youre master wyll come.

Young's Literal Translation
`Watch ye therefore, because ye have not known in what hour your Lord doth come;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Watch therfore, for ye knowe not what houre youre LORDE wil come.

Mace New Testament (1729)
watch therefore, for ye know not at what hour your Lord shall come.

THE MESSAGE
Routine History Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, his disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was. Jesus said, "You're not impressed by all this sheer size, are you? The truth of the matter is that there's not a stone in that building that is not going to end up in a pile of rubble." Later as he was sitting on Mount Olives, his disciples approached and asked him, "Tell us, when are these things going to happen? What will be the sign of your coming, that the time's up?" Jesus said, "Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, ‘I am Christ, the Messiah.' They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming. "They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other's throat, everyone hating each other. "In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes. "Staying with it—that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come. "But be ready to run for it when you see the monster of desecration set up in the Temple sanctuary. The prophet Daniel described this. If you've read Daniel, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you're living in Judea at the time, run for the hills; if you're working in the yard, don't return to the house to get anything; if you're out in the field, don't go back and get your coat. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard. Hope and pray this won't happen during the winter or on a Sabbath. "This is going to be trouble on a scale beyond what the world has ever seen, or will see again. If these days of trouble were left to run their course, nobody would make it. But on account of God's chosen people, the trouble will be cut short. "If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, ‘Here's the Messiah!' or points, ‘There he is!' don't fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I've given you fair warning. "So if they say, ‘Run to the country and see him arrive!' or, ‘Quick, get downtown, see him come!' don't give them the time of day. The Arrival of the Son of Man isn't something you go to see. He comes like swift lightning to you! Whenever you see crowds gathering, think of carrion vultures circling, moving in, hovering over a rotting carcass. You can be quite sure that it's not the living Son of Man pulling in those crowds. "Following those hard times, Sun will fade out, moon cloud over, Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble. "Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole. "Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out. "But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. "The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away. "The Son of Man's Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up. "Who here qualifies for the job of overseeing the kitchen? A person the Master can depend on to feed the workers on time each day. Someone the Master can drop in on unannounced and always find him doing his job. A God-blessed man or woman, I tell you. It won't be long before the Master will put this person in charge of the whole operation. "But if that person only looks out for himself, and the minute the Master is away does what he pleases—abusing the help and throwing drunken parties for his friends—the Master is going to show up when he least expects it and make hash of him. He'll end up in the dump with the hypocrites, out in the cold shivering, teeth chattering."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Be on the lookout and don't get lax in the saddle. Keep both feet in your stirrups and one eye on the sky. You won't know when I'm comin' back, so be ready.

Contextual Overview

³² Learn a lesson from a fig tree. When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time has almost come. ³⁴ I can promise you that some of the people of this generation will still be alive when all this happens. ³⁵ The sky and the earth won't last forever, but my words will. ³⁶ No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows. ³⁷ When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. ³⁸ People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day that the flood came and Noah went into the big boat. ³⁹ They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Watch: Matthew 25:13, Matthew 26:38-41, Mark 13:33-37, Luke 12:35-40, Luke 21:36, Romans 13:11, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 3:2, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 16:15

for: Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:44, Mark 13:33

Reciprocal: Matthew 16:28 - see Matthew 24:50 - come Matthew 26:41 - Watch Mark 13:35 - General Mark 14:38 - Watch Luke 12:36 - men Luke 12:40 - General 1 Thessalonians 5:2 - the day 2 Peter 3:10 - as a

Cross-References

Genesis 24:7
The Lord who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the Lord will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son.

Genesis 24:8
If the woman refuses to come along, you don't have to keep this promise. But don't ever take my son back there."

Genesis 24:12
The servant prayed: You, Lord , are the God my master Abraham worships. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today.

Genesis 24:14
and I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.

Genesis 24:31
Then Laban said, "The Lord has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There's no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there's also a place for your camels."

Ezra 8:21
Beside the Ahava River, I asked the people to go without eating and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions.

Nehemiah 1:11
Please answer my prayer and the prayer of your other servants who gladly honor your name. When I serve the king his wine today, make him pleased with me and have him do what I ask.

Psalms 37:5
Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help.

Psalms 90:17
Our Lord and our God, treat us with kindness and let all go well for us. Please let all go well!

Acts 10:22
They answered, "Captain Cornelius sent us. He is a good man who worships God and is liked by the Jewish people. One of God's holy angels told Cornelius to send for you, so he could hear what you have to say."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Watch therefore,.... Since the time of this desolation is so uncertain, and since it will come upon the Jews unawares, and some wilt escape, whilst others perish; for the words are plainly an inference from what precedes, and clearly relate to things going before, and are not a transition to a new subject:

for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come; to avenge himself of the unbelieving Jews, and fulfil what he in person, and by his apostles, had predicted and warned them of: though I will not deny, but that what follows may be much better accommodated and applied to the second coming of Christ, and the last judgment, and the behaviour of men with regard to both, than anything said before; and it may be our Lord's intention, to lead his disciples gradually, and as it were imperceptibly, to the last scene of things on earth, to make way for the parables and description of the future judgment, in the next chapter; still keeping in view, and having reference to, the subject he had been so long upon.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Watch - Be looking for his coming. Be expecting it as near; as a great event; as coming in an unexpected manner. Watch the signs of his coming, and be ready.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 42. Watch therefore — Be always on your guard, that you may not be taken unawares, and that you may be properly prepared to meet God in the way either of judgment or mercy, whensoever he may come. This advice the followers of Christ took, and therefore they escaped; the miserable Jews rejected it, and were destroyed. Let us learn wisdom by the things which they suffered.