Matthew 24 2

Matthew 24:2 kjv

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Matthew 24:2 nkjv

And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Matthew 24:2 niv

"Do you see all these things?" he asked. "Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

Matthew 24:2 esv

But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

Matthew 24:2 nlt

But he responded, "Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!"

Matthew 24 verses

Matthew 24 2 Meaning

Matthew 24:2 presents Jesus' authoritative and emphatic prophecy concerning the complete destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. In direct response to His disciples' admiration for its grand structures, Jesus declares that not a single stone of the Temple complex will remain atop another; all will be utterly demolished. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple in A.D. 70.

Matthew 24 2 Context

This verse is the opening declaration of Jesus' "Olivet Discourse," His lengthy sermon on the Mount of Olives concerning the end times and the destruction of Jerusalem. It directly follows the disciples pointing out the massive and ornate stones and structures of the Second Temple. The Temple, greatly expanded by Herod the Great, was the pride of Jewish identity, worship, and national hope, considered an indestructible symbol of God's presence among His people. Jesus' prophecy was a profoundly shocking and counter-cultural statement that directly challenged their understanding of the Temple's permanence and significance, setting the stage for discussions about the "end of the age" (Matt 24:3) that involved not only Jerusalem's demise but also broader eschatological events.

Matthew 24 2 Word analysis

• And Jesus said to them: Signifies a deliberate, authoritative pronouncement following a previous observation by the disciples.
• Do you not see: A rhetorical question (οὐ βλέπετε – ou blepete) challenging their focus on the external appearance. It implies a lack of deeper spiritual understanding beyond the material grandeur of the Temple.
• all these things?: Refers specifically to the large stones and magnificent buildings of the Temple complex mentioned in Matthew 24:1. The sheer size and solidity of the Temple would have made Jesus’ words seem utterly impossible at the time.
• Truly, I say to you: (ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν – amēn legō hymin) A common and distinct Johannine phrase, it serves as an emphatic introduction used exclusively by Jesus to signal a solemn, authoritative, and absolutely true declaration. It indicates divine certainty and weightiness.
• not one stone will be left here upon another,: (οὐ μὴ ἀφεθῇ ὧδε λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον – ou mē aphethē hōde lithos epi lithon) This is a double negative in Greek, making the statement extraordinarily emphatic and absolute. "Stone upon stone" is an idiomatic expression for complete demolition or total leveling, leaving nothing intact. "Here" (hōde) grounds the prophecy specifically to the location of the standing Temple.
• that will not be thrown down.: (ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται – hos ou katalythēsetai) Also a strong negative statement, reiterating the certainty of destruction. The Greek verb katalythēsetai (from kataluō) means "to pull down," "demolish," "destroy utterly," or "abolish." Its passive voice suggests that the action is not by the stones themselves, but by an external agent, hinting at the divine decree and the instrumentality of others (e.g., the Romans in A.D. 70). This reinforces the irreversible nature of the coming judgment.

Matthew 24 2 Bonus section

The precise fulfillment of Matthew 24:2 in A.D. 70 is one of the strongest historical evidences supporting the prophetic nature of Jesus' words and the reliability of the New Testament. The account by Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, vividly details the Roman siege and the subsequent razing of the Temple, corroborating Jesus' seemingly impossible prediction. This historical event provided clear testimony to God's judgment against a system that, while beautiful externally, had become spiritually barren and had refused its promised Deliverer. The disciples' subsequent questions about "the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age" (Matt 24:3) are directly prompted by the weight and implications of Jesus' stunning Temple prophecy.

Matthew 24 2 Commentary

Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:2 is a profound statement about divine judgment and the shift from an old covenant order to a new one in Christ. For the disciples, whose identity and worship were deeply intertwined with the Temple, this pronouncement would have been incredibly shocking, almost sacrilegious. The prophecy was fulfilled with remarkable precision in A.D. 70 by the Roman general Titus, whose soldiers, intent on retrieving melted gold that had seeped into the cracks, thoroughly dismantled the Temple to its foundations, ensuring "not one stone" was left "upon another." This physical destruction underscored God's judgment on a religious system that had rejected its Messiah. Furthermore, it symbolized the transition from a physical, localized place of worship to the spiritual reality embodied by Christ Himself (John 2:19-21) and His Church, composed of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). The prophecy signifies that the way to God is no longer through a physical temple or its rituals, but through Christ's perfect sacrifice and new covenant.