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Translation
King James Version
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
American Standard Version
And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.
World English Bible Messianic
Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Young's Literal Translation
and then shall many be stumbled, and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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DidacheAD 100
The Didache, Chapter 16
Watch for your life's sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh. But often shall ye come together, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if ye be not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, and then shall appear the world-deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an out-spreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.
Origen of Alexandria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 253
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Morally; He who shall see that glorious second coming of the word of God into his soul, must needs suffer in proportion to the measure of his proficiency assaults of opposing influences, and Christ in him must be hated by all, not only by the nations literally understood, but by the nations of spiritual vices. And in such enquiries there will be few who shall reach the truth with any fulness, the more part shall be offended and fall therefrom, betraying and accusing one another because of their disagreement respecting doctrines, which shall give rise to a mutual hatred. Also there shall be many setting forth unsound words concerning things to come, and interpreting the Prophets in a manner in which they ought not; these are the false Prophets who shall deceive many, and who shall cause to wax cold that fervour of love which was before in the simplicity of the faith. But he who can abide firmly in the Apostolic tradition, he shall be saved; and the Gospel being preached to the minds of all shall be for a testimony to all nations, that is, to all the unbelieving thoughts of the soul.
Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 39
If we ought to understand this passage in the moral sense, in accordance with how we treated the passages above, then we will explain its meaning as follows. It is necessary that he who is about to see the glorious coming of the Word of God in his soul should, like a great athlete, suffer the snares of his enemies and be given over to afflictions insofar as they advance the perfection of the Word within him.…The manifestation of the qualities of Christ implanted in him, on account of which he is called a Christian, makes him an object of hatred to everyone who has the spirit of the world. This persecution also only tends more and more toward the perfection of the indwelling of Christ.
Few, however, will be left untouched by discussions and questions concerning the fullness of truth. Indeed, many will be “scandalized” and will fall on account of it, having been made betrayers and accusers of one another because of their dissensions over the truth of doctrine, which not everyone is able to learn. This is why they “hate one another.” Among the great many who will be engaged in questions of this sort, those “false prophets who deceive many” will report prophecies concerning the future inaccurately and will interpret them incorrectly. Very few will seek the truth. False doctrines in and of themselves cannot overcome the power of truth, but those who have itchy ears will multiply and will take delight in speaking evil contrary to the law. And the tendentious words of many teachers will do such great harm that even those whose charity was once fervent in the simplicity of faith will “grow cold” toward the divine mysteries and toward the truth. But whoever is able to see all these things and yet to remain in communion with the original purpose of the church’s founding and the apostolic tradition will be saved. In this way then the gospel will be preached to every soul and a testimony will be given to every nation, that is, to all the unbelieving thoughts of every single individual.
Hilary of Poitiers (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 367
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Such was Nicolaus, one of the seven deacons, who led astray many by his pretences. And Simon Magus who, armed with diabolic works and words, perverted many by false miracles.
Apostolic ConstitutionsAD 380
Apostolic Constitutions (Book VII), Section 2, XXXII
For in the last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves, and love into hatred: for through the abounding of iniquity the love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute, and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, [2 Thessalonians 2:3-12] whom the Lord Jesus "shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth, who takes away the wicked with His lips; and many shall be offended at Him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven;" [Isaiah 11:4; Matthew 24:1-51] and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel; and in that interval shall be the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His saints with Him, with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of His power, [Matthew 16:27] in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. "Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal," [Matthew 25:46] to inherit those things "which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God has prepared for them that love Him;" [1 Corinthians 2:9] and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 75
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you."
In good season did He introduce their ills, having a consolation from the common miseries; and not in this way only, but also by His adding, that it is "for my name's sake. For ye shall be hated," He saith, "of all men for my name's sake. Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
This is the greater evil, when the war is intestine too, for there were many false brethren. Seest thou the war to be threefold? from the deceivers, from the enemies, from the false brethren. See Paul too lamenting over the same things, and saying, "Without were fightings, within were fears;" and, "perils among false brethren," and again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."
After this again, what is more grievous than all, they shall not have so much as the consolation from love. Then indicating, that these things will in no degree harm the noble and the firm, He saith, Fear not, neither be troubled. For if ye show forth the patience that becomes you, the dangers will not prevail over you. And it is a plain proof of this, that the word shall surely be preached everywhere in the world, so much shall ye be above the things that alarm you. For, that they may not say, how then shall we live? He said more, Ye shall both live and preach everywhere. Therefore He added moreover, "And this gospel shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come," of the downfall of Jerusalem.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 75
"Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many."
This is the greater evil, when the war is intestine too, for there were many false brethren. Seest thou the war to be threefold? from the deceivers, from the enemies, from the false brethren. See Paul too lamenting over the same things, and saying, "Without were fightings, within were fears;" and, "perils among false brethren," and again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Or otherwise; The disciples when they heard these things which were spoken of Jerusalem might suppose that they should be beyond reach of harm, as though what they now heard was the sufferings of others, while they themselves should meet with nothing but prosperous times, He therefore announces the grievous things which should befal them, putting them in fear for themselves. First He had bid them be on their guard against the arts of false teachers, He now foretels to them the violence of tyrants. In good season He thus introduces their own woes, as here they will receive consolation from the common calamities; and He held out to them not this comfort only, but also that of the cause for which they should suffer, showing that it was for His name's sake, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Having named two sources of opposition, that from seducers, and that from enemies, He adds a third, that from false brethren; And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. See Paul bewailing these same things, Without were fightings, within were fears; (2 Cor. 7:5. 2 Cor. 11:26. v. 13.) and in another place; In perils among false brethren, of whom he says, Such are false Apostles, deceitful workers.
And He adds, what is still more cruel, that such false Prophets shall have no alleviation in charity; Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Then that they should not say, How then shall we live among so many evils? He promises not only that they should live, but that they should teach every where. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world.
That before the taking of Jerusalem the Gospel was preached every where, hear what Paul says, Their sound is gone out into all the earth; (Rom. 10:18.) and see himself travelling from Jerusalem into Spain. And if one had so large a province, think how much all must have done. Whence writing to certain, he says of the Gospel, It bears fruit, and increases in every creature under heaven. (Col. 1:6.) And this is the strongest proof of Christ's power, that in thirty years or a little more, the word of the Gospel filled the ends of the world. Though the Gospel was preached every where, yet all did not believe, whence He adds, For a witness unto all nations, in accusation, that is, of such as believe not, they who have believed bearing witness against them that believed not, and condemning them. And in fit season did Jerusalem fall, namely, after the Gospel had been preached throughout the world; as it follows, And then shall the consummation come, i. e. the end of Jerusalem. For they who have seen Christ's power shining forth every where, and in brief space spread over the whole world, what mercy did they deserve when they continued still in ingratitude?
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
These all are the beginnings of sorrows, is better understood of pains of labour, as it were the conception of the coming of Antichrist, and not of the birth.
Observe, He says, the love of many, (Rom. 8:35.) not 'of all,' for in the Apostles, and those like them, love would continue, as Paul speaks, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
And the sign of the Lord's second coming is, that the Gospel shall be preached in all the world, so that all may be without excuse.
Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Ep. 199, 46.) But that this preaching the Gospel of the kingdom in all the world was accomplished by the Apostles, we have not any certain evidence, to prove. There are numberless barbarous nations in Africa, among whom the Gospel is not even yet preached, as it is easy to learn from the prisoners who are brought from thence. But it cannot be said that these have no part in the promise of God. For God promised with an oath not the Romans only, but all nations to the seed of Abraham. But in whatever nation there is yet no Church established, it must needs be that there should be one, not that all the people should believe; for how then should that be fulfilled, Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake, unless there be in all nations those who hate and those; who are hated? That preaching therefore was not accomplished by the Apostles, while as yet there were nations among whom it had not begun to be fulfilled. The words of the Apostle also, Their sound hath gone out into all the world, though expressed as of time past, are meant to apply to something future, not yet completed; as the Prophet, whose words he quotes, said that the Gospel bore fruit and grew in the whole world (Ps. 19:4.), to show thereby to what extent its growth should come. If then we know not when it shall be that the whole world shall be filled with the Gospel, undoubtedly we know not when the end shall be; but it shall not be before such time.
Remigius of Rheims (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 533
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
As the capture of Jerusalem approached, many rose up, calling themselves Christians, and deceived many; such Paul calls false brethren, John Antichrists.
That is, true love towards God and our neighbour, in proportion as each surrenders himself to iniquity, in that proportion will the flame of charity in his heart be extinguished.
Whoso shall endure unto the end, i. e. to the end of his life; for whoso to the end of his life shall persevere in the confession of the name of Christ, and in love, he shall be saved.
For the Lord knew that the hearts of the disciples would be made sad by the destruction of Jerusalem, and overthrow of their nation, and He therefore comforts them with a promise that more of the Gentiles should believe than of the Jews should perish.
But the whole passage might be referred to the end of the world. For then shall many be offended, and depart from the faith, when they see the numbers and wealth of the wicked, and the miracles of Antichrist, and they shall persecute their brethren; and Antichrist shall send false Prophets, who shall deceive many; iniquity shall abound, because the number of the wicked shall be increased; and love shall wax cold, because the number of the good shall diminish.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
For what desert so many evils are to be brought upon Jerusalem, and the whole Jewish province the Lord shows, when He adds, Then shall they deliver you up,&c.
Glossa Ordinaria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1274
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(non occ.)c. But it is possible to maintain both applications of the passage, if only we will take this diffusion of Gospel preaching in a double sense. If we understand it of fruit produced by the preaching, and the foundation in every nation of a Church of believers in Christ, as Augustine (in the passage above quoted) expounds it, then it is a sign which ought to precede the end of the world, and which did not precede the destruction of Jerusalem. But if we understand it of the fame of their preaching, then it was accomplished before the destruction of Jerusalem, when Christ's disciples had been dispersed over the four quarters of the earth. Whence Jerome says, (Hieron. in loc.) I do not suppose that there remained any nation which knew not the name of Christ; for where preacher had never been, some notion of the faith must have been communicated by neighbouring nations.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Matthew 24:10, a poignant verse from Jesus' Olivet Discourse, prophesies a chilling internal breakdown within communities during the escalating tribulation of the last days. It foretells a widespread spiritual falling away, marked by many being "offended" or caused to stumble from faith, leading to profound acts of betrayal and an alarming surge of mutual hatred among people, even those previously united. This verse paints a stark picture of the destructive impact of intense pressure on human relationships and spiritual fortitude, serving as a sobering warning of the moral and relational decay that will accompany the end times.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 24:10 employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its sobering message. The most prominent is Progression or Climax, as the verse describes a chilling escalation of moral and spiritual decay: from being "offended" (stumbling in faith), to "betraying" one another (a breakdown of trust), culminating in "hating" one another (an active, pervasive animosity). This tripartite structure builds tension and emphasizes the severity of the coming tribulation's impact on human relationships. The use of "many" (polýs) suggests Generalization or Hyperbole, indicating a widespread, though not necessarily universal, phenomenon, underscoring the pervasive nature of this internal collapse. The verse also functions as Foreshadowing, painting a vivid picture of the spiritual and social conditions that will characterize the end times, serving as a stark warning to Jesus' disciples and future generations. Implicitly, there is a powerful Contrast between the ideal of brotherly love and unity within the community of faith and the predicted reality of division, betrayal, and hatred, highlighting the antithetical nature of these actions to God's kingdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 24:10 speaks to the profound theological reality of human fallenness and the vulnerability of even professed faith when confronted with overwhelming pressure. It underscores the biblical theme of apostasy, where individuals, though once seemingly committed, can fall away from the truth, demonstrating that true faith is not merely intellectual assent but enduring allegiance. This verse also highlights the spiritual warfare at play in the world, where the enemy seeks to sow discord, deception, and division, ultimately aiming to extinguish love and unity within the body of Christ. The prophecy serves as a stark reminder that the ultimate test of faith often comes not just from external persecution but from the internal erosion of trust and the rise of malice, emphasizing the critical importance of perseverance and genuine, Spirit-empowered love as antidotes to such decay.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 24:10 serves as a profound warning and a call to spiritual vigilance for believers across all generations, particularly as we observe increasing societal pressures and divisions. This prophecy compels us to examine the depth of our own faith and the quality of our relationships within the Christian community. In a world where "offense" can easily arise from differing opinions, where "betrayal" can manifest in gossip or disloyalty, and where "hatred" can fester in online anonymity or political polarization, this verse challenges us to cultivate resilient faith, rooted deeply in Christ, and to actively practice radical love. It underscores the imperative to guard against anything that might cause us or others to stumble, to uphold trust and integrity in all our interactions, and to resist the temptation to allow bitterness or animosity to take root. Our perseverance in faith and our unwavering commitment to loving one another, even in difficult times, become powerful testimonies to the enduring power of the Gospel against the forces of decay.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this prophecy exclusively about the end of the world, or does it have relevance for believers today?
Answer: While Matthew 24:10 is part of Jesus' eschatological discourse concerning the signs leading up to His second coming and the end of the age, its principles are timeless warnings that apply to believers in every generation. The tendencies to stumble, betray, and hate are manifestations of human sinfulness that can surface in any period of spiritual or societal pressure. Therefore, while the verse points to a climactic intensification of these behaviors in the last days, it also serves as a constant call to vigilance, perseverance, and love for Christians living in any era, urging them to guard against these destructive forces within their own hearts and communities.
What is the deeper meaning of "offended" in this verse, beyond simply being annoyed?
Answer: The King James Version's translation "offended" for the Greek word skandalízō (G4624) carries a much stronger and more profound meaning than mere annoyance or irritation. It refers to being caused to stumble, to fall away from faith, or to be led into sin or apostasy. The root word, skandalon, originally referred to the bait-stick of a trap or a stumbling block. Thus, for "many to be offended" means that a significant number will encounter obstacles or temptations that cause them to lose their faith, abandon their moral integrity, or defect from their commitment to Christ. This spiritual collapse is often triggered by persecution, false teaching, or the severe trials of life, leading to a profound spiritual and relational breakdown.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 24:10, with its grim prophecy of stumbling, betrayal, and hatred, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not only in the world's rejection of God but also in the very person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself was the supreme example of one "offended" by many, as prophesied in Isaiah 8:14, becoming a "stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" to those who rejected Him (1 Peter 2:8). He was the innocent Lamb of God who was "betrayed" by one of His own disciples, Judas Iscariot, a profound act of treachery that led to His crucifixion (Matthew 26:47-50). Furthermore, Jesus endured the ultimate "hatred" from a world that preferred darkness to light, as He Himself declared, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). Yet, it is precisely through His suffering, betrayal, and death—the ultimate act of love—that He conquered the power of sin, which manifests as stumbling, betrayal, and hatred. His atoning sacrifice provides the means for reconciliation, forgiveness, and the transformation of hearts, enabling believers, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to overcome these destructive tendencies and to fulfill His new commandment: to "love one another, just as I have loved you" (John 13:34). In His second coming, Christ will fully establish His kingdom of perfect love and justice, bringing an end to all forms of offense, betrayal, and hatred, and ushering in an era where God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4).