Matthew 24:40 kjv
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Matthew 24:40 nkjv
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:40 niv
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:40 esv
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
Matthew 24:40 nlt
"Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.
Matthew 24 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 7:21-23 | The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated... all in whose nostrils was the breath of life... perished. | Illustrates the 'taking away' by destruction (Noah's flood). |
| Dan 12:2 | And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | Foreshadows the ultimate two-fold destiny. |
| Mal 3:18 | Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. | Prophetic promise of separation and discernment. |
| Mt 13:30 | Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them... but gather the wheat into my barn.’” | Parable of weeds and wheat illustrating final separation for destiny. |
| Mt 13:49-50 | So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. | Parable of the net illustrating a distinct final separation. |
| Mt 24:3 | As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” | Context: Disciples' question initiating the Olivet Discourse. |
| Mt 24:37-39 | For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days... the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. | Immediate context and parallel: "Swept them all away" (taken for destruction). |
| Mt 24:41 | Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left. | Direct parallel example reinforcing the separation theme. |
| Mt 24:42-44 | Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming... you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. | Call to readiness and watchfulness, implied outcome of being 'taken'. |
| Mt 25:10 | And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. | Wise virgins entering the feast, foolish virgins 'left out.' |
| Mt 25:32-33 | Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. | Distinct separation based on judgment and allegiance. |
| Mt 25:46 | And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. | The ultimate eternal outcomes of the separation. |
| Mk 13:33 | Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. | Urgency for vigilance for the Master's return. |
| Lk 12:39-40 | But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. | Call for readiness due to unexpected timing. |
| Lk 17:26-30 | Just as it was in the days of Noah... Just as it was in the days of Lot... so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. | Reinforces the parallel with sudden, destructive divine intervention. |
| Lk 17:34-36 | I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together; one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. | Direct parallels emphasizing universal application of separation. |
| Jn 14:3 | And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. | Jesus promises to "take" His disciples to Himself (positive connotation). |
| Rom 13:11 | Besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. | Emphasis on living with awareness of approaching salvation. |
| 1 Cor 15:52 | In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. | Illustrates the sudden, transformative nature of the event for believers. |
| 1 Thess 4:16-17 | For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command... And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air... | Describes believers being "caught up" or "taken" to meet the Lord. |
| 1 Thess 5:2-3 | For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly... | Emphasizes the unexpected arrival of judgment on the unprepared. |
| 2 Pet 3:10 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. | Describes the final, cataclysmic events accompanying the Lord's coming. |
Matthew 24 verses
Matthew 24 40 Meaning
Matthew 24:40 portrays the sudden and decisive separation that will occur at the coming of the Son of Man. In this scenario, individuals engaged in ordinary, everyday activities will be instantly divided, with one person "taken" and the other "left." This imagery emphasizes that at the moment of Christ's return, there will be an immediate and inescapable differentiation between the prepared and the unprepared, between those who are blessed and those who face judgment. It highlights the individual nature of salvation and judgment, stressing the urgency of spiritual readiness.
Matthew 24 40 Context
Matthew 24:40 is part of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, delivered in response to the disciples’ question about the signs of His coming (Greek: parousia) and the end of the age (Mt 24:3). Following His predictions of the Temple's destruction and signs preceding His return, Jesus transitions to emphasize the unexpected and definitive nature of His ultimate arrival. He contrasts the vigilance of His followers with the unawareness of the world, drawing a parallel to the days of Noah. Just as people in Noah's time were preoccupied with daily life, oblivious to the impending flood until it suddenly swept them away, so will humanity be when the Son of Man appears. This verse, along with Matthew 24:41 and Luke 17:34-35, provides concrete, vivid examples from everyday life—two men in the field, two women grinding at a mill, two in one bed—to illustrate this swift and absolute division. The surrounding verses in Matthew 24-25 heavily underscore the necessity of watchfulness, preparedness, and righteous living, as one's eternal destiny will be decided at this momentous appearance.
Matthew 24 40 Word analysis
- Then (Tote, τότε): This adverb points to a specific future moment, directly linking the events described to the "coming of the Son of Man" mentioned previously (Mt 24:39) and the "day and hour" (Mt 24:36) that remain unknown. It marks a transition to a direct consequence of that prophetic event.
- two men (duo andres, δύο ἄνδρες): This phrase illustrates ordinary, common human activity. The mention of "two" highlights individuality in a group and foreshadows the impending division, making the scenario relatable and universally applicable.
- will be in the field (en tō agro, ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ): This phrase grounds the event in everyday, routine life, emphasizing that the parousia will disrupt normal activities rather than occurring after an observable global cessation of life. It implies active engagement in mundane work, contrasting with spiritual readiness.
- one (heis, εἷς): Denotes distinctiveness and individual destiny. Despite their shared environment and activity, their fates will diverge personally.
- will be taken (paralēmphtēsetai, παραλημφθήσεται): From the Greek verb paralambanō (παραλαμβάνω), meaning "to take alongside," "to take into one's company," "to receive," or "to accept." This term is used elsewhere to describe Jesus taking disciples with Him (e.g., Mt 17:1), a husband taking his wife (e.g., Mt 1:20), or Christ promising to take believers to Himself (Jn 14:3). This strong positive connotation for taking to someone is often used to interpret this as believers being taken to Christ. In contrast, if connected strictly to Mt 24:39 ("swept them all away" - airō meaning carried off by destruction), some scholars argue it could mean taken away for judgment. However, the consistent portrayal of "being taken" in positive relation to Christ elsewhere strongly supports the former.
- and the other (kai ho heteros, καὶ ὁ ἕτερος): "Heteros" specifies the other of two distinct kinds or identities, reinforcing that the remaining person is of a different spiritual category or destiny than the one "taken."
- left (aphethēsetai, ἀφεθήσεται): From the Greek verb aphiēmi (ἀφίημι), meaning "to let go," "to send away," "to dismiss," or "to abandon." In this context, to be "left behind" signifies being abandoned by the presence of God or the Christ, resulting in being subjected to judgment or facing condemnation. This meaning aligns with other parables where being excluded or remaining behind carries a negative implication (e.g., the foolish virgins "left" outside the feast).
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Then two men will be in the field": This sets a scene of ordinary life, underlining that the momentous divine intervention will come unannounced into a world still busily engaged in its daily routines, underscoring the suddenness and unpredictability.
- "one will be taken and the other left": This phrase encapsulates the core message of the verse: a swift, individual, and irrevocable separation. It implies an immediate and final determination of destinies—one for divine blessing or presence, the other for exclusion or judgment. This instantaneous division signifies that there will be no time for repentance or change once the parousia begins.
Matthew 24 40 Bonus section
While Matthew 24:40 (and its parallel Mt 24:41 and Lk 17:34-36) powerfully illustrates a coming separation, the precise identity of "taken" and "left" has been a subject of scholarly discussion. The dominant view, especially popular in some Christian traditions, interprets "taken" as a positive gathering to Christ (rapture/salvation), often supported by parallels like 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ("caught up"). In this understanding, "left" signifies those who remain for judgment.
However, a robust alternative scholarly view interprets the verse in closer conjunction with its immediate context in Matthew 24:39, where the flood "swept them all away" (ēren apantas) for destruction. Under this interpretation, "taken" (paralēmphthesetai) in verse 40 would refer to those taken away for judgment (like those drowned in the flood), while those "left" (aphethēsetai) would be those who remain to inherit the earthly kingdom (akin to Noah and his family being "left" to continue life after the flood).
Regardless of whether "taken" means blessing or judgment, and "left" means the opposite, the verse unequivocally points to an inescapable, sudden, and complete separation between two groups of people at the Lord's return. There will be no middle ground or second chances. The urgency lies in ensuring one is among the "blessed" group at that time.
Matthew 24 40 Commentary
Matthew 24:40 starkly reveals the ultimate spiritual bifurcation that will occur at Christ's sudden return. The common activities of life—working in a field—will abruptly cease for some while continuing for others, illustrating the universal scope and personal nature of this dividing event. The essence is not merely about physical removal but a definitive spiritual classification: those prepared and found righteous will be "taken" into His presence or kingdom, while those unprepared will be "left" to face the consequences of their unbelief or unreadiness. This instantaneous separation serves as a vivid exhortation to constant spiritual vigilance and faithful living, for the timing remains undisclosed, and one's eternal destiny is determined in a single, decisive moment. It emphasizes the need for an ongoing, active relationship with the Lord, as judgment will come to those who neglect their spiritual state.