Matthew 24

And coming out from the temple
This translation often renders the participle ἐξελθὼν (exelthōn; “coming out”) to indicate the beginning of a new section. While the content of chapter 24 is connected to that of chapter 23, translating the participle alerts readers to the way in which Matthew distinguishes the scenes (i.e., by place).

answered and said
The phrase “answered and said” (ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν; apokritheis eipen) is translated here just as it is later in verse 4. The consistency in translation highlights how Matthew puts the spotlight on Jesus’ teaching of His disciples and the instruction that they need and receive.

what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age
The lack of a comma between the phrases “what will be the sign of Your coming” and “of the end of the age” reflects the fact that there are only two questions in this verse according to the Greek. The questions are indicated by the terms “when” (πότε; pote) and “what” (τί; ti): “when will these things happen?” and “what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

the Christ
“The Christ” (ὁ χριστὸς; ho christos; “the Anointed One”) is the Greek expression of the Hebrew הַמָּשִׁיחַ (ha-mashiach; “the Messiah” or “the Anointed One”). Jesus is warning that many deceivers will come claiming to be God’s promised Messiah.

you are going to
The phrase “you are going to” reflects the future tense of the verb μέλλω (mellō), which fundamentally means “to be about to” do or be something. By translating this term in this way, it brings out the sense of inevitability behind the events that Jesus describes.

deliver
The verb παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) at its most basic literal meaning is to “give over.” It is used in a variety of contexts with different emphases, and thus cannot be translated the same way everywhere. Its specific meaning in each case is dependent upon its surrounding context, and the burden of translation is to give the specific meaning intended by the author. In this verse, παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) is translated “deliver” because the word refers to its basic sense of giving someone over to their enemies.

betray
Refer to the discussion on verse 9 above. In this verse, παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) refers to acts in which people will give one another over to their enemies for purposes of death and destruction (cf. v. 9). Thus, the translation of παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi) here is “betray” (cf. Matt 26:24, 25, 46, 48).

witness
The term “witness” (μαρτύριον; martyrion) can also be translated as “testimony” in legal contexts (cf. Matt 8:4; 10:18), but here the concept of a “witness” is preferred in light of Matthew mentioning the gospel being proclaimed to “the whole world.”

And
The conjunction “and” is present in the Greek and has been translated here as well. In verses 16–20, Jesus highlights a variety of scenarios that people may find themselves in when the abomination of desolation is revealed. The two scenarios that are connected in verses 17–18 stress the unique locations that people may find themselves in, but while the locations differ, the need to flee is urgent for everyone.

garment
While sometimes translated “coat” or “cloak,” the Greek word ἱμάτιον (himation) is more general semantically, referring simply to a “garment.” Thus, it is translated as “garment” here and throughout the New Testament (excepting two occurrences [John 19:2, 5] where it specifically describes the purple “robe” put mockingly on Jesus).

the Christ
“The Christ” (ὁ χριστὸς; ho christos; “the Anointed One”) is the Greek expression of the Hebrew הַמָּשִׁיחַ (ha-mashiach; “the Messiah” or “the Anointed One”). Jesus is speaking of a time when there will be a heightened expectation of the promised Messiah. People will believe in false messiahs (cf. v. 24) since they would not believe that Jesus Himself was the true Messiah.

false christs
Refer to the discussion on verse 23 above.

Therefore
The logical conjunction οὖν (oun) is typically translated as “therefore” (cf. v. 15) and is rendered here in this way also. In verse 15 and here in verse 26, Jesus instructs His disciples so that they would not be misled (cf. vv. 4, 6, 25), and His use of “therefore” exhorts them to respond rightly to events as they unfold.

appears
The word for “appears” is the Greek verb φαίνω (phainō). The term refers to “giving light” and could even be translated as “flashes” in this case due to the context of lightning. However, translating this term as “appears” is preferable since this rendering helps readers detect the link of verse 27 to verse 30, in which Matthew uses the same term in reference to the “appearance” (φαίνω; phainō) of the Son of Man at His return.

appear
Refer to the discussion on verse 27 above.

just as, so
The Greek structure of this verse highlights the comparison between the days of Noah and the days of Christ’s return. It does this through the grammatical conjunction “just as” (ὥσπερ, hōsper) and the adverb “so” (οὕτως; houtōs). Bringing this structure out in the translation helps readers see how Jesus is teaching His hearers about the events surrounding His return.

two in the field
Some translations render this as “two men in the field.” The word “men” does not appear in the Greek text, so here it is simply “there will be two in the field” (δύο ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ; dyo esontai en tō agrō). The fact that the two are men is implied by the masculine form of the word “one” (εἷς; heis) when they are described later in the verse (“one will be taken…one will be left”).

Two women
Similar to the previous verse, the word “women” does not appear in the Greek text, though it is communicated by the feminine form of the participle for “grinding” (ἀλήθουσαι; alēthousai) and the feminine form of the word “one” (μία; mia) when they are described later in the verse (“one will be taken…one will be left”).

prudent
Most translations render this word as “sensible” or “wise.” It is translated here as “prudent” for consistency since the same word (φρόνιμος; phronimos) will appear multiple times in the following chapter (Matt 25:2, 4, 8, 9).