Matthew 10:23

When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus speaks to His disciples during the commissioning discourse, giving them practical instruction on fleeing local persecution. He delivers this command between the promise of salvation for those who endure hatred and the declaration that a servant does not outrank his master.

The words — ὅταν (hotan) translates to "whenever" and διώκωσιν (diōkōsin) means "they may persecute," establishing a conditional trigger for the flight command.

The thread — The same deadline framework appears in Matthew 16:28, where Jesus states some present will not die before seeing the Son of Man come, and Mark 13:26, which places that coming in clouds with power.

Why it lands — The text commands immediate relocation when faced with town-level opposition and sets a fixed boundary that the mission to Israel will end before the Son of Man arrives. It requires the reader to execute tactical withdrawal while measuring their timeline against a defined eschatological limit.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Cross-references

Matthew 16:28 Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
John 11:53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
Mark 13:26 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Luke 4:29 They got up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff.
Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Acts 17:10 As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
Luke 18:8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Luke 21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
John 10:39 At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
Matthew 24:30 At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.