Bible Strands
Matthew 24:26
So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples during the Olivet Discourse, warning them about false messianic claims preceding his return. He speaks this to prevent them from being misled by reports of his location.
The words — ἐὰν (ean) literally means “if,” establishing a conditional warning, while ἐρήμῳ (erēmō) translates to “wilderness,” denoting an isolated, uninhabited region.
The thread — The wilderness motif appears in Isaiah 40:3, Luke 3:2, and Acts 21:38, where God’s work or prophetic voices emerge in desolate places, contrasting with this verse’s warning against isolating the Messiah’s presence.
Why it lands — The text commands readers to reject reports claiming a hidden or secluded Christ, demanding discernment over sensationalism and pointing to a universally visible return rather than a localized event.
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
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
- Luke 3:2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
- Acts 21:38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?”
- Matthew 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea